Buckle for connector, and method for assembling same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9655411-B2
Application number	US-201314651825-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2013
Priority date	Dec 18, 2012
Publication date	May 23, 2017
Grant date	May 23, 2017

Abstract

A buckle for a connector having a small simple structure and a favorable productivity, and a method for assembling the same. A buckle for connector of the present invention for supporting a tongue engageably/disengageably includes a base member, a latch member, an unlocking member, a latch spring, an ejector, an ejector spring, and cover members housing these members. The base member includes first and second plates. The ejector includes: two arms; a body section between the arms that includes a pushing/moving surface for the tongue to be pushed/moved by the tongue, a support section to support the latch member, and a pushing surface to be pushed by the ejector spring; and claws formed at ends of the arms and locked with an aperture at a terminal end of the base member, the terminal end being opposite to a starting end from which the tongue is inserted.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A buckle for a connector, comprising:
a metallic base member that comprises an inner region into which a tongue having a locking groove in a side thereof along an inserting direction can be inserted, and slide slots formed in both facing surfaces of the base member, respectively;
a columnar latch member inserted through the slide slots of the base member and disposed such that both ends thereof stick out from the base member, the latch member configured to slide within the slide slots in a first sliding direction to lock with the locking groove of the tongue;
a U-shaped unlocking member having facing surfaces that define an open mouth, the facing surfaces being externally fitted over the base member, the facing surfaces comprising respective locking support portions, the locking support portions being configured to be locked with the both ends of the latch member sticking out from the base member such that the unlocking member is supported in an externally fitted state, the unlocking member being configured to slide the latch member in a second sliding direction opposite to the first sliding direction when a pushing operation is given from outside, to unlock the tongue and the latch member from each other;
a latch spring inserted between the base member and the unlocking member, and configured to bias the unlocking member in the first sliding direction to support the tongue and the latch member in a locked state;
an ejector provided in the inner region of the base member, and configured to push out the tongue in a releasing direction opposite to the inserting direction during unlocking of the tongue and the latch member, wherein the ejector, in an unlocked state, is configured to support the latch member, wherein, when the tongue is inserted into the inner region of the base member, the tongue pushes the ejector away from the latch member, enabling the latch member to be locked with the tongue;
an ejector spring inserted between a stopper member and the ejector and configured to bias the ejector in the releasing direction of the tongue, the stopper member providing a deepest position to which the tongue is capable of being inserted into the inner region of the base member; and
a cover member housing the base member, the latch member, the unlocking member, the latch spring, the ejector, and the ejector spring,
wherein the buckle is configured to support the tongue engageably and disengageably,
wherein the base member comprises: a first plate, the first plate having a bottom surface and a first side wall and a second side wall opposably formed along the inserting direction, the first and second side walls defining an opening, and a second plate disposed to cover the opening of the first plate, the first and second plates together forming an aperture, and
wherein the ejector comprises: a first arm and a second arm extending along the inserting direction and configured to be inserted into the base member from outside by being slid against the side walls; a body section that is held between the first arm and the second arm and comprises a first pushing surface for the tongue, which is to be pushed and moved by the tongue, a support section configured to support the latch member in the unlocked state, and a second pushing surface to be pushed by the ejector spring; and claws formed at ends of the arms and configured to be locked with the aperture at a terminal end of the base member, the terminal end being opposite to a starting end that is at a side from which the tongue is inserted.

2. The buckle according to claim 1 ,
wherein the claws of the arms are locked with the terminal ends of the side walls of the first plate, respectively.

3. The buckle according to claim 1 ,
wherein the stopper member is formed integrally with the second plate.

4. The buckle according to claim 1 ,
wherein the latch spring is a coil spring, and the first plate comprises a positioning groove on the first side wall at a side at which the unlocking member is externally fitted, the positioning groove being configured to be locked with one end of the coil spring.

5. The buckle according to claim 1 ,
wherein the base member comprises a position restricting portion facing the first side-wall of the first plate at a side at which the unlocking member is externally fitted, the position restricting portion configured to prevent the tongue from moving along the second sliding direction when the tongue is inserted into the inner region.

6. The buckle according to claim 5 ,
wherein the position restricting portion is formed by forming a depression in part of at least one of the first plate and the second plate that extends into the aperture.

7. The buckle according to claim 1 ,
wherein the ejector comprises a columnar gripping portion extending in the releasing direction from a base end of the second arm, the second arm being inserted into the base member by being slid against a side surface opposite to a side surface at a side at which the unlocking member is externally fitted.

Assignees

• Sanoh Ind Co Ltd
• Sanoh Ind Co Ltd

Inventors

• HA Huy Hung
• Kawai Yoshihiko

Classifications

• A44B11/2515 Primary

  acting parallel to the main plane of the buckle and perpendicularly to the direction of the fastening action · CPC title

• A44B11/2561

  Tongue elements · CPC title

• A44B11/2534

  with the sliding motion of the buckle providing the opening or closing action · CPC title

• A44B11/2511 Primary

  acting perpendicularly to the main plane of the buckle, e.g. placed on the front face of the buckle · CPC title

• B60R22/12

  Construction of belts or harnesses (B60R21/18 takes precedence {; woven fabrics for safety belts D03D1/0005}) · CPC title