US20140157553A1

US20140157553A1 - Safe fastener for curtain

Info

Publication number: US20140157553A1
Application number: US13/712,944
Authority: US
Inventors: Tai-Ping Liu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-12-12
Filing date: 2012-12-12
Publication date: 2014-06-12

Abstract

A fastener is provided for fastening ropes. The fastener includes first unit and a second unit. The first unit is made of a hollow configuration and made with elastic strips. Each of the elastic strips includes a barb formed thereon. The second unit includes a waist extending from a block to a disc. Cutouts are defined in the block. The second unit is kept in the first unit as the block or the disc is engaged with the barbs. Each of the ropes includes a knot placed in an annular space defined between the first unit and the waist and a section inserted through a respective one of the cutouts. The block or the disc is disengaged from the barbs when the ropes are loaded with adequate tensile stress.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a curtain and, more particularly, to a safe fastener for ropes of a curtain.
2. Related Prior Art
A typical curtain includes three ropes and a fastener. The first and second ropes are tied to a side of the fastener while the third rope is tied to an opposite side of the fastener. The ropes dangle. Children like to play with the dangling ropes. A child might be tangled in the ropes. It is difficult for the child to dismantle the fastener and escape from the ropes should the child get tangled by the ropes since the fastener is robust and cannot be dismantled easily. Hence, the child might be strangled. To avoid such risks, there is a need for a safe fastener.
The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in prior art.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide a safe fastener for ropes of a curtain.
To achieve the foregoing objective, the fastener is provided for fastening ropes. The fastener includes first unit and a second unit. The first unit is made of a hollow configuration and made with elastic strips. Each of the elastic strips includes a barb formed thereon. The second unit includes a waist extending from a block to a disc. Cutouts are defined in the block. The second unit is kept in the first unit as the block or the disc is engaged with the barbs. Each of the ropes includes a knot placed in an annular space defined between the first unit and the waist and a section inserted through a respective one of the cutouts. The block or the disc is disengaged from the barbs when the ropes are loaded with adequate tensile stress.
Other objectives, advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description referring to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described via detailed illustration of two embodiments referring to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a safe fastener according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the safe fastener shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the safe fastener taken along a line A-A shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cut-away view of three ropes tied to the safe fastener shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a front view of a person tangled by the ropes tied to the safe fastener shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of a safe fastener according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the safe fastener of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a front view of a person tangled by two ropes tied to the safe fastener shown in FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 5, there is shown a safe fastener 10 in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. The fastener 10 includes a first or female unit 20 and a second or male unit 30.
The first unit 20 is in the form of a barrel. The first unit 20 includes a first end 21 and a second end 22. An aperture 23 is defined in an annular flange extending from an internal side of the first unit 20 near the second end 22. Four slits 24 are defined in an upper section of the first unit 20. That is, the slits 24 extend from the first end 21 half way to the second end 22. An elastic strip 25 is defined between any adjacent ones of the slits 24. Each of the strips 25 includes a barb 26 extending from an internal side near the first end 21. The diameter of an internal side of the first unit 20 at the first end 21 is larger than that of a circle defined by the tips of the barbs 26. The diameter of the circle defined by the tips of the barbs 26 is larger than that of the diameter of the aperture 23. The first unit 20 includes a lower section formed with a frusto-conical internal face 27 as clearly shown in FIG. 3.
The second unit 30 includes a waist 36 extending from a block 31 to a disc 34. The diameter of the waist 36 is smaller than that of the disc 34. The diameter of the disc 34 is smaller than that of the block 31. There are six cutouts 32 in the block 31. Each of the cutouts 32 includes an internal and closed end, an external and open end and two lateral walls, each extending from the closed end to the open end. A spoke is defined between any adjacent ones of the cutouts 32. Each of the spokes is formed with a chamfer 39. There is a boss 35 axially extending from the disc 34. The waist 36 is formed with two ribs 37 for reinforcement. The ribs 37 extend opposite to each other. The second unit 30 includes a bore 33 axially defined therein. The bore 33 includes several sections. The diameters of the sections of the bore 33 get smaller in a direction from the block 31 to the disc 34.
Referring to FIG. 3, the second unit 30 is placed in the first unit 20. The boss 35 is placed in the aperture 23. The disc 34 is placed in the lower section of the first unit 20. The frusto-conical internal face 27 of the lower section of the first unit 20 renders smooth the placement of the disc 34 in the lower section of the first unit 20 and hence the placement of the boss 35 in the aperture 23. The chamfers 39 are in contact with the barbs 26.
Referring to FIG. 4, there are three ropes 40 tied to the fastener 10. Each of the ropes 40 includes a knot 42 tied near an end 41. The knot 42 of each of the first and second ropes 40 is placed in a respective one of two chambers 38 separated by the ribs 37 and defined between the waist 36 and the lower section of the first unit 20. A section of each of the first and second ropes 40 is placed in a respective one of the cutouts 32. The knot 42 of the third rope 40 is placed in the smallest section of the bore 33. A section of the third rope 40 is placed in the second smallest section of the bore 33.
Referring to FIG. 5, a person loads the first and second ropes 40 with tensile stress when the person is tangled by the first and second ropes 40. Each of the first and second ropes 40 exerts a force Fa on the respective strip 25. The force Fa includes a vertical component Fb and a horizontal component Fc. The horizontal component Fc pushes the elastic strip 25 from the block 31 horizontally. The vertical component Fc pushes down the elastic strip 25 as indicated by an arrow head B. That is, the first unit 20 is removed from the second unit 30. Therefore, the first and second ropes 40 can be removed from the cutouts 32 so that the person is released from the first and second ropes 40.
Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, there is shown a fastener according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment is like the first embodiment except two things. Firstly, the slits 24 are defined in and the elastic strips 25 are formed on the lower section of the first unit 20. Secondly, the disc 34 is formed with an upper chamfer 44 and a lower chamfer 44. The lower chamfer 44 is used to slide on the barb 26 and hence open the elastic strips 25 so that the second unit 30 can smoothly be inserted in the first unit 20. The operation of the upper chamfer 44 will be described later.
Referring to FIG. 8, a person loads the first and second ropes 40 with tensile stress when the person is tangled by the first and second ropes 40. Each of the first and second ropes 40 exerts a force Fa on the respective strip 25. The force Fa includes a vertical component Fb and a horizontal component Fc. The horizontal component Fc is too weak to push the elastic strip 25 from the block 31 horizontally since the upper section of the first unit 20 is not flexible without any slit defined therein. The vertical component Fb however pushes down the elastic strip 25 as the barb 26 slides on the upper chamfer 44 since the elastic strip 25 is allowed to flex. That is, the first unit 20 is removed from the second unit 30. Therefore, the first and second ropes 40 can be removed from the cutouts 32 so that the person is released from the first and second ropes 40.
The present invention has been described via the detailed illustration of the embodiments. Those skilled in the art can derive variations from the embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments shall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in the claims.

Claims

1. A fastener for fastening ropes, wherein the fastener includes:

a first unit made of a hollow configuration and made with elastic strips, each including a barb formed thereon; and

a second unit including a block, a disc, a waist extending from the block to the disc, and cutouts defined in the block, wherein the second unit is kept in the first unit as one of the block and the disc is engaged with the barbs, wherein each of the ropes includes a knot placed in an annular space defined between the first unit and the waist and a section inserted through a respective one of the cutouts, wherein the one of the block and the disc is disengaged from the barbs when the ropes are loaded with adequate tensile stress.

2. The fastener according to claim 1, wherein the cutouts are defined in the periphery of the block, wherein each of the cutouts includes an open end that is closed by the first unit when the second unit is placed in the first unit.

3. The fastener according to claim 1, wherein the first unit includes an aperture defined therein at an end, wherein the second unit includes a boss inserted in the aperture when the second unit is placed in the first unit.

4. The fastener according to claim 1, wherein the first unit includes slits defined therein, wherein each of the elastic strips is formed between any two adjacent ones of the slits.

5. The fastener according to claim 4, wherein the slits are defined in an upper section of the first unit, wherein the second unit is kept in the first unit as the block is engaged with the barbs.

6. The fastener according to claim 5, wherein the block includes a chamfer for engagement with the barbs.

7. The fastener according to claim 4, wherein the slits are defined in a lower section of the first unit, wherein the second unit is kept in the first unit as the disc is engaged with the barbs.

8. The fastener according to claim 7, wherein the disc includes an upper chamfer on which the barbs slide when the first unit is removed from the second unit.

9. The fastener according to claim 7, wherein the disc includes a lower chamfer on which the barbs slide when the first unit is moved onto the second unit.

10. The fastener according to claim 1, wherein the second unit includes a bore defined therein, wherein the bore includes a smaller section and a larger section for receiving a knot of another rope.

11. The fastener according to claim 1, wherein the second unit includes two ribs formed on the waist for reinforcement.