Buckle and buckle male part

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11766097-B2
Application number	US-202016999253-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 21, 2020
Priority date	Aug 27, 2019
Publication date	Sep 26, 2023
Grant date	Sep 26, 2023

Abstract

A buckle may include male and female parts. In a case (A) where only the female part is attached to a slider of a slide fastener, the male part includes: a pair of arms respectively provided with locking protrusions; and a connecting rod connecting respective base ends of the pair of arms. The connecting rod is configured to curve away from a space between the locking protrusions of the arms when the arms are bent such that the locking protrusions approach one another. In a case (B) where the male part is attached to a slider of a slide fastener, the male part includes: a slider-holding frame configured to hold the slider; and a pair of arms that extend in the same direction from the slider-holding frame and are respectively provided with locking protrusions. The slider-holding frame includes a frame portion protruded into a space between the pair of arms toward a space between the locking protrusions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A buckle male part comprising:
a slider-holding frame holding a slider of a slide fastener, the slider being separate from the slider-holding frame;
a first buckle arm having a first base end and a first terminal end and extending between the first base end and the first terminal end, the first base end connected to a first portion of the slider-holding frame;
a first buckle locking protrusion formed at the first terminal end of the first buckle arm;
a second buckle arm having a second base end and a second terminal end and extending between the second base end and the second terminal end, the second buckle arm extending away from the slider-holding frame in a same direction as the first buckle arm, the second base end connected to a second portion of the slider-holding frame; and
a second buckle locking protrusion formed at the second terminal end of the second buckle arm, wherein
the slider-holding frame includes a frame portion extending between the first and second portions of the slider-holding frame, the frame portion protruded outwardly of the slider held by the slider-holding frame into a first space between the first and second buckle arms toward a second space between the first and second buckle locking protrusions, the first space including a first slit defined between the frame portion and the first buckle arm, and a second slit defined between the frame portion and the second buckle arm, the first slit allowing the first buckle arm to be bent toward the frame portion and the second slit allowing the second buckle arm to be bent toward the frame portion.

2. The buckle male part of claim 1 , wherein the slider-holding frame further comprises another frame portion that is connected to said frame portion to define an opening.

3. The buckle male part of claim 1 , wherein the slider-holding frame comprises a support connected to the frame portion via a hanging portion, the slider being sandwiched between the frame portion and the support.

4. The buckle male part of claim 3 , wherein the support is shaped to partially match an outer profile of a top wing or a bottom wing of the slider.

5. The buckle male part of claim 1 , wherein the buckle male part further comprises a resin-made spring interconnecting the first and second terminal ends of the first and second buckle arms, and a space between the resin-made spring and the frame portion of the slider-holding frame is set to allow the resin-made spring to touch the frame portion of the slider-holding frame in accordance with bending of the first and second buckle arms in a direction for the first and second buckle arms to approach one another.

6. The buckle male part of claim 1 , wherein the slider is detachably held by the slider-holding frame, elastic deformation of the slider-holding frame allowing attachment and detachment of the slider to and from the slider-holding frame.

7. The buckle male part of claim 6 , wherein the slider comprises a top wing, a bottom wing, a coupling pillar coupling the top wing with the bottom wing, and a pull-attachment column arranged on a top surface of the top wing.

8. The buckle male part of claim 7 , wherein the slider-holding frame includes another frame portion coupled to the frame portion so as to surround the top wing.

9. The buckle male part of claim 1 , wherein the first buckle arm includes a first plate-like portion, and the second buckle arm includes a second plate-like portion, the first and second plate-like portions being nipped by fingers, and
wherein the first slit is interposed between the first plate-like portion and the frame portion, and the second slit is interposed between the second plate-like portion and the frame portion.

Assignees

• Ykk Corp

Inventors

• Ito Naoyuki
• Takazakura Ryoichiro
• Yagami Tomoko

Classifications

• A44B19/305 Primary

  in the form of a locking prong protuding from the pull member · CPC title

• A44B11/2592 Primary

  fastening by sliding in the main plane or a plane parallel to the main plane of the buckle (A44B11/2503, A44B11/2584 take precedence) · CPC title

• A44B19/30 Primary

  with means for locking in position · CPC title