No slip one-piece strap adjustor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10039349-B2
Application number	US-201514671356-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2015
Priority date	Mar 28, 2014
Publication date	Aug 7, 2018
Grant date	Aug 7, 2018

Abstract

A strap adjustor can comprise a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, a third surface that extends between the first surface and the second surface. A first opening in the first surface can extend completely through the strap adjustor between the first surface and the second surface. A second opening in the first surface can extend partially but not completely through the strap adjustor. A bar can be disposed at the first surface between the first opening and the second opening. A third opening in the third surface can extends partially but not completely through the strap adjustor and join with the second opening. At least one strap can be disposed partially through the third opening, and the at least one strap can comprise an uncompressed thickness that is greater than a height of the third opening.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A one-piece strap adjustor with a first strap and a second strap, comprising:
a first surface;
a second surface opposite the first surface;
a third surface that extends between the first surface and the second surface;
a first opening in the first surface, wherein the first opening extends completely through the strap adjustor from the first surface to the second surface;
a second opening in the first surface that extends partially but not completely through the strap adjustor;
a bar at the first surface between the first opening and the second opening;
a third opening in the third surface that extends partially but not completely through the strap adjustor and joins with the second opening, wherein a first portion of the third surface adjacent the first surface forms a first edge of the third opening and a second portion of the third surface adjacent the second surface forms a second edge of the third opening, a height of the third opening extending between the first edge of the third opening and the second edge of the third opening; and
a first strap and a second strap stacked on the first strap, both the first strap and the second strap extending through the first opening, through the second opening, and through the third opening, the first strap and the second strap comprising an uncompressed thickness Tsu that is greater than the height of the third opening h 3 such that the first strap and second strap are compressed to a compressed strap thickness Tsc less than Tsu to prevent slipping between the first strap, the second strap, and the one-piece strap adjustor when at rest, and the one-piece strap adjustor can be slid along both the first strap and the second strap by a user.

2. The strap adjustor of claim 1 , wherein the third opening compresses the at least one strap to prevent the at least one strap from slipping through the third opening when tension is reduced along a length of the at least one strap.

3. The strap adjustor of claim 1 , wherein the bar comprises a textured surface of raised surfaces or grooves extending between side surfaces perpendicular to the first surface and the second surface, the raised surfaces or grooves oriented in a direction perpendicular to a direction of the at least one strap moving between the first opening and the second opening to increase friction or resistance between the bar and the at least one strap.

4. The strap adjustor of claim 1 , wherein:
the second opening intersects with the third opening to provide a void into which the at least one strap can be disposed; and
the at least one strap changes directions within the void before exiting the void through the third opening.

5. The strap adjustor of claim 1 , wherein the second surface comprises an included angle at an exterior of the strap adjustor and about the first opening that is less than 180degrees.

6. The strap adjustor of claim 1 , wherein the third surface is substantially perpendicular to the first surface or the second surface.

7. A method of making the strap adjustor of claim 1 , comprising molding the strap adjustor of a single piece of plastic.

8. A one-piece strap adjustor with at least one strap, comprising:
a first surface at an exterior of the strap adjustor;
a second surface at an exterior of the strap adjustor opposite the first surface;
a third surface at an exterior of the strap adjustor that extends between the first surface and the second surface;
a first opening in the first surface, wherein the first opening extends completely through the strap adjustor from the first surface to the second surface;
a second opening in the first surface that extends partially but not completely through the strap adjustor;
a third opening in the third surface that extends partially but not completely through the strap adjustor and joins with the second opening, wherein a first portion of the third surface adjacent the first surface forms a first edge of the third opening and a second portion of the third surface adjacent the second surface forms a second edge of the third opening, a height of the third opening extends from the first edge of the third opening to the second edge of the third opening; and
the at least one strap that extends through the first opening, the second opening, and the third opening to enter or exit the strap adjustor at the first surface, the second surface and the third surface, and when at rest the one-piece strap adjustor can be slid along the at least one strap by a user.

9. The strap adjustor of claim 8 , further comprising a bar at the first surface between the first opening and the second opening, wherein the bar comprises a textured surface to increase friction or resistance between the strap adjustor and a strap that passes over the bar.

10. The strap adjustor of claim 9 , wherein:
the second opening intersects with the third opening to provide a void into which a strap can be disposed; and
the strap changes directions within the void before exiting the void through the third opening.

11. The strap adjustor of claim 8 , wherein the second surface comprises an included angle that is less than 180 degrees.

12. The strap adjustor of claim 8 , wherein the third surface is substantially perpendicular to the first surface or the second surface.

13. The strap adjustor of claim 8 , wherein the first surface is substantially parallel to the second surface.

14. The strap adjustor of claim 8 , further comprising:
a first strap disposed partially through the third opening with a length of the first strap being substantially perpendicular to a width of the third opening or a height of the third opening;
a second strap stacked over the first strap, the second strap disposed partially through the third opening with a length of the second strap being substantially perpendicular to a width of the third opening or a height of the third opening; and
wherein the height of the third opening is less than an uncompressed thickness of the first strap and the second strap.

15. The strap adjustor of claim 11 , wherein:
the height of the third opening is equal to a compressed thickness of the first strap and the second strap; and
the first edge and the second edge of the third opening compress the first strap and the second strap to prevent the first strap and the second strap from slipping through the third opening when tension is reduced along a length of the first strap or the second strap.

16. A method of making the strap adjustor of claim 8 , comprising molding the strap adjustor of a single piece of plastic.

17. A one-piece strap adjustor with a strap, comprising:
a first surface;
a second surface opposite the first surface;
a third surface that extends between the first surface and the second surface;
a first void that extends completely through the strap adjustor from the first surface to the second surface;
a second void that extends partially but not completely through the strap adjustor, the second void being partially enclosed by the second surface and the third surface;
wherein the second surface comprises an included angle at an exterior of the strap adjustor and about the first opening that is less than 180 degrees; and
the strap extends through the first void and the second void such that the one-piece strap adjustor does not slip along the strap when at rest, but can be slid along the strap by a user.

18. The strap adjustor of claim 17 , wherein the second void comprises a box-like shape or boundary and an at least one strap is disposed in the second void and angled

Assignees

• Bell Sports Inc

Inventors

• Muller Hilgard N

Classifications

• A44B11/04 Primary

  without movable parts · CPC title

• Y10T24/2192

  Buckle type · CPC title

• A42B3/08

  Chin straps or similar retention devices · CPC title