Buckle, garment and article

Abstract

The invention relates to a buckle, a garment and an article. The invention provides a belt buckle for further controlling ejection of a plug from a socket. When the plug (2) is ejected from the socket (3) and the first arm (21) and the second arm (22) elastically return to original shapes, the projection (5) is guided to continuously fit with the linear path (72) during the whole period in which the first locked part (41) and the second locked part (42) slide on the first guide surface (81b) and the second guide surface (82b) respectively.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to buckles, garments and articles. Background Art

[0002] Japanese Patent No. 4203461 (referred to as Document 1) discloses a technology for making the engagement of a socket and a plug easier and smoother. Specifically, the socket has a wedge-shaped guide path and an axial path continuous with the guide path, and the plug has a guide rod guided by the guide path.

[0003] International Publication No. 2013 / 121557 (referred to as Document 2) discloses providing a connecting portion that connects a front plate and a back plate of a socket in order to improve the rigidity of the socket. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0005] Unlike the socket of document 1, the socket of document 2 is provided with a guide portion (refer to the socket of document 2). Figure 3 28). When a guide portion is provided as in Document 2, the plug may pop out of the socket when the socket and the plug are disconnected. The inventors, having paid new attention to this point, have discovered a new problem: further controlling the plug from popping out of the socket.

[0006] Solutions for solving problems

[0007] A technical solution of the present invention provides a buckle, which includes: a plug having a first arm and a second arm each having elasticity to the extent that they can swing in the width direction of the plug, and an intermediate arm arranged between the first arm and the second arm in the width direction of the plug and having a higher rigidity than the first arm and the second arm, the first arm having a first operated portion operated for its swing and a first locked portion located closer to the top end of the first arm than the first operated portion, the second arm having a second operated portion operated for its swing and a locked portion located closer to the top end of the second arm than the second operated portion The invention relates to a plug and a socket, comprising a first locking portion located at the top end of the second arm, the middle arm including a guide protrusion extending in the same direction as the middle arm; and a socket having a housing that at least partially accommodates the first and second arms, the housing including a surface plate, a back plate, and first and second side plates connecting the surface plate and the back plate, at least one of the surface plate and the back plate having an introduction path for the guide protrusion to be introduced, the introduction path including at least a straight path, and the guide protrusion at least partially engaging with the straight path when the plug and the socket are connected. The housing has a first locking portion and a second locking portion formed on either side of the central axis of the straight path to individually lock the first and second locked portions. The first locking portion includes a first locking surface and a first guide surface, and the second locking portion includes a second locking surface and a second guide surface. The first guide surface and the second guide surface are inclined away from each other as they extend along the central axis toward the introduction end of the introduction path. As the first and second arms elastically return to their original shapes during the process of releasing the plug from the receptacle, the plug is ejected along the central axis in a direction away from the receptacle in response to the force applied to the first and second guide surfaces from the first and second locked portions. While the first and second arms elastically return to their original shapes as the plug attempts to be ejected from the receptacle, the guide protrusions continue to engage with the linear path throughout the entire period that the first and second locked portions slide on the first and second guide surfaces, respectively.

[0008] The feature "the guide protrusion is continuously engaged with the linear path throughout the entire period that the first locked portion and the second locked portion slide on the first guide surface and the second guide surface, respectively, during the process of the first arm and the second arm elastically returning to their original shapes as the plug attempts to be ejected from the receptacle" may be replaced with the feature "the guide protrusion is continuously engaged with the linear path while the first locked portion and the second locked portion are in abutment with the front end regions of the first guide surface and the second guide surface, respectively, during the process of the first arm and the second arm elastically returning to their original shapes as the plug attempts to be ejected from the receptacle." Advantageously, the guide protrusion is maintained engaged with the linear path even when the locked portions are separated from the guide surfaces (in other words, when a gap is formed between the locked portions and the guide surfaces).

[0009] In some embodiments, the surface plate has a surface-side introduction path as an introduction path, the back panel has a back-side introduction path, the back-side introduction path having a contour that is consistent or substantially consistent with the contour of the surface-side introduction path when viewed from the front-back direction, and the intermediate arm has an auxiliary protrusion that is located on the opposite side of the guide protrusion in the front-back direction and has a length shorter than the length of the guide protrusion. The length of the auxiliary protrusion may be less than half the length of the guide protrusion. The auxiliary protrusion may terminate at a position between the first operated portion and the second operated portion. During the connection process of the plug and the socket, the auxiliary protrusion may be engaged with the straight path included in the back-side introduction path later than the above-mentioned engagement of the guide protrusion with the straight path. The auxiliary protrusion may have a height that gradually decreases as it extends toward the top end side of the intermediate arm.

[0010] In some embodiments, the introduction path has a wedge-shaped path whose width gradually decreases from the introduction end of the introduction path toward the straight path, and the wedge-shaped path has two inclined edges that define its width, and the two inclined edges each form an acute angle in the range of 30° to 50° relative to a line parallel to the central axis.

[0011] In some embodiments, the first side panel has a first window that allows the first operated portion to protrude laterally when the socket and plug are connected, and the second side panel has a second window that allows the second operated portion to protrude laterally when the socket and plug are connected. The first locking portion has a first wall surface exposed through the first window and located slightly inward of the socket relative to the outer surface of the first side panel, and a first edge formed by the first wall surface and the first guide surface is located slightly inward of the socket relative to the outer surface of the first side panel. The second locking portion has a second wall surface exposed through the second window and located slightly inward of the socket relative to the outer surface of the second side panel, and a second edge formed by the second wall surface and the second guide surface is located slightly inward of the socket relative to the outer surface of the second side panel.

[0012] Another embodiment of the present invention provides a garment comprising: one or a combination of the aforementioned buckles; a first strap member attached to a plug; a second strap member attached to a socket; and a first garment portion and a second garment portion connected by at least the first strap member, the second strap member, and the buckle. When the garment is worn by a person and the plug and socket are connected, the first strap member and the second strap member are oriented horizontally.

[0013] Another technical solution of the present invention provides an article comprising the aforementioned buckle, wherein when worn by a person, the person can connect and disconnect the plug and socket using one or both hands. The article may be clothing, a bag, or a sack. The clothing may be work clothing, disaster prevention clothing, or bulletproof clothing, such as air-conditioning clothing with fans, water-cooling clothing, or clothing with heaters (often worn at construction sites, building sites, or factories).

[0014] Effects of the Invention

[0015] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ejection of the plug from the socket can be further controlled. More specifically, the ejection of the plug from the socket can be controlled so that the plug can move stably in a straight line. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a buckle according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which a plug is separated from a socket.

[0017] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of a buckle according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which a plug is completely connected to a socket.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a front view of the plug.

[0019] Figure 4 This is the back view of the plug.

[0020] Figure 5 This is a side view of the plug.

[0021] Figure 6 This is a front view of the plug.

[0022] Figure 7 It is from Figure 1 and Figure 2 Three-dimensional images of the socket from different viewpoints.

[0023] Figure 8 is a side view of the socket.

[0024] Figure 9 yes Figure 8 A horizontal cross-sectional view of the socket shown at the dot-dash line.

[0025] Figure 10 It is a vertical cross-sectional view of the socket at the center line of the socket.

[0026] Figure 11 It is a schematic plan view of a buckle formed by connecting a plug and a socket, and also shows a partial cross-section showing the locked state of the locking portion and the locked portion.

[0027] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram showing an assumed state of use of the buckle, showing a state in which the first and second belt members are oriented in the horizontal direction when a person wears clothing and the plug and the socket are connected.

[0028] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the plug is ejected from the socket in an assumed state of use of the buckle.

[0029] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram showing the engagement state between the guide protrusion and the linear path when the plug is released from the socket.

[0030] Figure 15 and Figure 14 The guide protrusion shown is different, and is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the auxiliary protrusion has escaped from the straight path.

[0031] Figure 16 Schematic diagram showing that the guide protrusion is guided by the inclined edge of the wedge-shaped path.

[0032] Figure 17 is a schematic diagram showing that the auxiliary protrusion is not guided by the inclined edge of the wedge-shaped path.

[0033] Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram showing that the engagement between the guide protrusion and the linear path is maintained even when the locked portion is separated from the locking portion.

[0034] Description of Reference Numerals

[0035] 1. Buckle; 2. Plug; 3. Socket; 5. Guide protrusion; 6. Housing; 7. Introduction path; 7', Introduction path; 7', Dorsal introduction path; 9. Auxiliary protrusion; 21, 22, (1st and 2nd) arms; 23, Intermediate arm; 31, 32, (1st and 2nd) operated parts; 41, 42, (1st and 2nd) locked parts; 71, Wedge-shaped path; 72, Straight path; 81, 82, (1st and 2nd) locking parts; 81a, 82a, (1st and 2nd) locking surfaces; 81b, 82b, (1st and 2nd) guide surfaces; 83, 84, (3rd and 4th) locking parts; BL, PL, SL, Center line. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] Non-limiting embodiments and features of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various embodiments and / or features can be combined without further explanation, and that the resulting synergistic effects of such combinations are readily apparent. In principle, redundant descriptions between embodiments will be omitted. The accompanying drawings are primarily intended to illustrate the invention and have been simplified for ease of illustration. Each feature is not specific to the buckle disclosed herein but should be understood as a general feature applicable to various other buckles not disclosed herein.

[0037] In this specification, the thickness direction and width direction of the buckle (socket or plug) are consistent with the front-back direction and the left-right direction, respectively. For the socket and the plug, the front-back direction is set separately. Simply speaking, the top side of the plug inserted into the socket (for the plug) is the front side, and the opposite side (for the plug) is the rear side. The inner side or bottom side of the socket in the direction in which the plug is inserted (for the socket) is the rear side, and the opposite side (for the socket) is the front side. Sometimes, terms such as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th are used to distinguish elements with the same name. However, from the perspective of simplicity of description, these terms are sometimes omitted.

[0038] Reference Figures 1 to 17 The structure and function of the buckle 1 are described. The buckle 1 has a plug 2 and a socket 3 that can be connected to each other (see Figure 1 and Figure 2 ). The buckle 1 is exemplarily given a position relative to its center line BL (refer to Figure 2 ) has a mirror-symmetrical shape. The buckle 1 can be used on clothing such as vests, bags such as backpacks, and various other items. In particular, the buckle 1 is useful in applications where a person wears work clothes such as fan-equipped air-conditioning clothing, water-cooling clothing, and clothing with heaters (often worn at construction sites, building sites, or factories), disaster prevention clothing, bulletproof clothing, and backpacks such as rucksacks, and connects and disconnects the plug 2 and the socket 3 using one or both hands.

[0039] The connection between the plug 2 and the socket 3 can be easily disconnected by a single hand operation. For example, the first belt member is attached to the plug 2, and the second belt member is attached to the socket 3. The first belt member and the second belt member are connected by connecting the plug 2 and the socket 3, and the connection between the first belt member and the second belt member is disconnected by disconnecting the plug 2 and the socket 3 (see FIG. Figure 12 and Figure 13 ). The tightness of a vest or waistcoat, for example, can also be adjusted by using an adjustment member (not shown) for adjusting the length of the belt member. Furthermore, the plug 2 and the socket 3 are, for example, single injection-molded products manufactured by injection molding of a resin. The rigidity of the plug 2 and the socket 3 can be adjusted by selecting the resin used. The plug 2 and the socket 3 can have a clearance when connected, that is, they can be slightly displaced relative to each other (particularly along the center line BL of the buckle 1) while maintaining their connection.

[0040] By way of example, the plug 2 is given a mirror-symmetrical shape with respect to its center line PL (see Figure 1The plug 2 includes: arms 21 and 22, each of which has elasticity sufficient to swing in the plug width direction; an intermediate arm 23, which is disposed between the arms 21 and 22 in the plug width direction and has a higher rigidity than the arms 21 and 22; a belt mounting portion 26, which is connected to the arms 21 and 22 at their rear ends; and left and right inclined walls 27a and 27b, which are disposed between the belt mounting portion 26 and the intermediate arm 23 and connect the two. The belt mounting portion 26 includes two rods 26a and 26b extending in the plug width direction, and left and right walls 26c and 26d connecting the rods 26a and 26b at their left and right ends. For example, the belt can be fixed to the belt mounting portion 26 by hanging the belt around the rod 26b.

[0041] The arms 21 and 22 are each connected to the belt member mounting portion 26 (left and right walls 26 c and 26 d ) so as to be swingable in the plug width direction. In addition, the arms 21 and 22 are shaped to approach each other as they extend toward the front of the plug, thereby facilitating smooth insertion into the socket 3 .

[0042] The arm 21 has, in this order, a base end portion 21a, an operated portion 31, a flat plate portion 21c, and a (remote) locked portion 41 in the direction away from the left wall 26c of the belt component mounting portion 26. The base end portion 21a is configured to have a width much narrower than that of the operated portion 31, so that the arm 21 can swing. The operated portion 31 is a portion that is operated (for example, by the index finger of a single hand) to swing the arm 21, and is configured to have a width wider than that of the base end portion 21a. In the illustrated example, the operated portion 31 is a ring portion that is long in the front-to-back direction with a through hole formed in the center, and has a shape that bulges toward the center line PL at the center of the front-to-back direction.

[0043] The flat plate portion 21c extends between the operated portion 31 and the locked portion 41, and has a width that gradually decreases as it moves away from the operated portion 31. More specifically, the flat plate portion 21c has a side surface that approaches the center line PL of the plug 2 as it extends forward. The flat plate portion 21c is the thinnest portion of the arm 21 (see FIG. Figure 5 and Figure 6 The locked portion 41 is located closer to the top end of the arm 21 than the operated portion 31, and has a front locking protrusion 41a and a back locking protrusion 41b (both of which can be omitted). In the example shown in the figure, the front locking protrusion 41a protrudes from the surface of the flat plate portion 21c, and the back locking protrusion 41b protrudes from the back of the flat plate portion 21c (see Figure 5 and Figure 6 The locked projections 41 a and 41 b each have a front surface and a back surface that approach each other as they extend forward, and the front surface and the back surface can be symmetrical with respect to a plane set at the center of the thickness of the plug 2 .

[0044] The arm 22 includes, in order from the right wall 26d of the belt mounting portion 26, a base end 22a, an operated portion 32, a flat plate portion 22c, and a (distal) locked portion 42. The arm 22 is mirror-symmetrical to the arm 21 relative to the centerline PL of the plug 2. The description regarding the arm 21 applies equally and will not be repeated. The operated portion 32 is operated by the thumb of a single hand. The locked portion 42 includes a front locking protrusion 42a and a rear locking protrusion 42b. Similar to the locked portion 41, these two protrusions may be omitted.

[0045] The left-side inclined wall 27a extends straight from the front end of the left wall 26c of the belt component mounting portion 26 to the right and obliquely forward. The right-side inclined wall 27b extends straight from the front end of the right wall 26d of the belt component mounting portion 26 to the left and obliquely forward. The inclined walls 27a and 27b are mirror-symmetrical with respect to the center line PL of the plug 2, forming a V-shaped wall in front of the belt component mounting portion 26. The inclined wall 27a can have steps on the front and back sides opposite to the center line PL of the plug 2, thereby having narrow wall ends 27c and 27f on both sides. Similarly, the inclined wall 27b can have steps on the front and back sides opposite to the center line PL of the plug 2, thereby having narrow wall ends 27d and 27e on both sides.

[0046] The intermediate arm 23 is connected to the front ends of the inclined walls 27a and 27b, extending linearly along the centerline PL of the plug 2 while maintaining a predetermined width. The intermediate arm 23 has a through-hole h23 extending therethrough. The through-hole h23 extends linearly along the centerline PL of the plug 2 between its rear end, closer to the belt-mounting portion 26, and its front end, further from the belt-mounting portion 26. The thickness of the intermediate arm 23 gradually decreases at its front end (distal end), thereby facilitating smooth insertion into the receptacle 3.

[0047] The intermediate arm 23 has a guide protrusion 5 on its surface (see Figure 3 ), with an auxiliary protrusion 9 on its back (refer to Figure 4 ). Both the guide protrusion 5 and the auxiliary protrusion 9 extend in the same direction as the intermediate arm 23. The auxiliary protrusion 9 is located on the opposite side of the guide protrusion 5 in the front-back direction and has a length shorter than the length L5 of the guide protrusion 5. Although the auxiliary protrusion 9 does not have the same guiding function as the guide protrusion 5, it can, on the contrary, well balance the guiding performance brought about by the engagement of the guide protrusion 5 with the later-described straight path of the socket 3 and the ease of insertion of the plug 2 into the socket 3. In addition, during the connection process between the plug 2 and the socket 3, the auxiliary protrusion 9 engages with the later-described straight path 72' included in the back-side introduction path 7' of the socket 3 later than the (initial) engagement of the guide protrusion 5 with the straight path 72.

[0048] The guide protrusion 5 is connected to the front ends of the front wall ends 27c and 27d of the aforementioned inclined walls 27a and 27b. More preferably, the guide protrusion 5 cooperates with the inclined walls 27a and 27b to form the outer peripheral wall surrounding the entire through-hole h23 of the intermediate arm 23. This allows the guide protrusion 5 to blend seamlessly into the overall shape of the plug 2 and become less noticeable. The illustrated guide protrusion 5 comprises left and right wall portions and a semicircular front wall connecting the two ends of the left and right wall portions, but the specific shape of the guide protrusion 5 is not limited to this. For example, the front end of the guide protrusion 5 can be removed. The guide protrusion 5 need not be formed entirely or partially as a ring; for example, the guide protrusion 5 can be formed to fill the through-hole. The guide protrusion 5 is not limited to a single portion; it can also be composed of a front portion and a rear portion formed by bisecting the guide protrusion 5, with a gap between the front and rear portions sufficient to not impair its guiding performance. The dividing line provided on the guide protrusion 5 is not limited to a single portion; two or more may be provided. It is also conceivable that the guide protrusion 5 includes three or more island portions separated in the front-rear direction.

[0049] When the connection between the plug 2 and the socket 3 is completed ( Figure 2 ), the auxiliary protrusion 9 engages with the linear path 72', thereby suppressing the wobble (relative displacement) between the plug 2 and the socket 3 on both sides of the buckle 1. The auxiliary protrusion 9 is shorter than the guide protrusion 5. Therefore, when the connection between the plug 2 and the socket 3 is released, the effect of the plug 2 being ejected from the socket 3 is eliminated or reduced. The auxiliary protrusion 9 is connected to the front end of the wall ends 27e and 27f on the back side of the above-mentioned inclined walls 27a and 27b. More preferably, the auxiliary protrusion 9 is a pair of wall portions extending from the front end of the inclined walls 27a and 27b and terminating at a distance shorter than the guide protrusion 5, and does not form an outer peripheral wall surrounding the entire through hole h23.

[0050] In some cases, the length L9 of the auxiliary protrusion 9 is less than half the length L5 of the guide protrusion 5. Additionally or alternatively, the auxiliary protrusion 9 ends at a position between the operated portions 31 and 32. When the guide protrusion 5 is divided as described above, the length L5 of the guide protrusion 5 is determined as the distance between the front end of the frontmost island portion (the front portion when divided into two) and the rear end of the rearmost island portion (the rear portion when divided into two) included in the guide protrusion 5.

[0051] The auxiliary protrusion 9 can have a height that gradually decreases as it extends toward the front end side of the intermediate arm 23 (see Figure 5 ), with an inclined surface formed at its front end. The auxiliary protrusion 9 is formed as a pair of left and right walls extending forward on both sides of the through hole h23, but is not limited to this shape. The auxiliary protrusion 9 can also be formed to fill the through hole in the same manner as the guide protrusion 5. Furthermore, the width W5 of the guide protrusion 5 is much shorter than its length L5, for example, less than half of it.

[0052] The socket 3 has a belt component mounting portion 66 and a shell 6 that at least partially accommodates the arms 21 and 22. The belt component mounting portion 66 has a rod portion extending in the width direction of the socket and left and right walls supporting the left and right ends of the rod portion. The shell 6 includes a surface plate 61, a back panel 62, side panels 63 and 64 connecting the surface plate 61 and the back panel 62, and rear walls 65m and 65n connecting the surface plate 61 and the back panel 62. The side panel 63 has a window 63j that allows the operated portion 32 to protrude to the side when the socket 3 and the plug 2 are connected. The side panel 64 has a window 64j that allows the operated portion 31 to protrude to the side when the socket 3 and the plug 2 are connected. By the center line BL (refer to Figure 2 ) By clamping the operated portion 31 and the operated portion 32 protruding to opposite sides from the window 63j and the window 64j, the plug 2 can be released from the socket 3.

[0053] The surface plate 61 has an introduction path 7 for introducing the guide protrusion 5, which is formed by partially removing the shell 6 (surface plate 61). The introduction path 7 has a funnel shape that is given a shape that becomes narrower in width toward the rear of the socket, and preferably includes a wedge-shaped path 71 and a straight path 72 as shown in the figure. In addition, the introduction path 7 has its introduction end in front of the socket and its closed end behind the socket. The introduction end is located at a position corresponding to the maximum width of the wedge-shaped path 71. The introduction path 7 is not formed over the entire length of the front and rear ends of the surface plate 61, nor does it divide the surface plate 61 into left and right parts. The back panel 62 is given a shape that is mirror-symmetrical to the surface plate 61 relative to the plane where the thickness center of the socket 3 is located, and thus has an introduction path 7' (back side introduction path 7') that is the same as the introduction path 7 (front side introduction path) of the surface plate 61 (refer to Figure 7 ). Therefore, when the plug 2 is inserted upside down relative to the socket 3, the connection between the plug 2 and the socket 3 is not hindered. The introduction path 7' has a contour that is consistent or substantially consistent with the contour of the introduction path 7 on the front side when viewed from the front and back, and also has a wedge-shaped path 71' and a straight path 72'.

[0054] During the connection between the plug 2 and the receptacle 3, the guide protrusion 5 enters the wedge-shaped path 71 and then the linear path 72. Even if the plug 2 is inserted into the receptacle 3 at an angle rather than a straight line, the guide protrusion 5 abuts against the inclined edges 71a and 71b of the wedge-shaped path 71, positioning the plug 2 in a more correct position. When the plug 2 and the receptacle 3 are connected, the guide protrusion 5 is at least partially (or substantially entirely, in the illustrated embodiment) engaged with the linear path 72. At this point, the guide protrusion 5 is sandwiched between the linear edges 72a and 72b of the linear path 72, strengthening the connection between the plug 2 and the receptacle 3.

[0055] The width of wedge-shaped path 71 is defined by its inclined edges 71a and 71b. Each of inclined edges 71a and 71b can form an acute angle within a range of 30° to 50° relative to a line parallel to the centerline SL of the socket 3. The width of straight path 72 is defined by its straight edges 72a and 72b. Each of straight edges 72a and 72b extends parallel to the centerline SL of the socket 3. The width W72 between straight edges 72a and 72b is equal to, and preferably slightly wider than, the width W5 of the guide protrusion 5.

[0056] The surface plate 61 of the housing 6 has locking portions 81 and 82 formed on both sides of the central axis of the linear path 72 (coinciding with the central axis SL of the socket 3) in order to individually lock the locked portions 41 and 42 (for example, the locked protrusions 41a and 42a thereof) (see FIG. Figures 7 to 11 ,in particular Figure 9 The back panel 62 of the housing 6 has locking portions 83 and 84 formed on both sides of the central axis of the linear path 72 in order to individually lock the locked portions 41 and 42 (for example, the locked protrusions 41b and 42b thereof) (see Figure 8 、 Figure 10 In the illustrated example, a gap is set between the locking portion 81 and the locking portion 83 to allow only the flat plate portion 21c of the arm 21 to be inserted. A gap is set between the locking portion 82 and the locking portion 84 to allow only the flat plate portion 22c of the arm 22 to be inserted. The gap between the locking portion 81 and the locking portion 83 does not allow the locked portion 41 to be inserted therein, and similarly, the gap between the locking portion 82 and the locking portion 84 does not allow the locked portion 42 to be inserted therein.

[0057] The locking portions 83 and 84 are mirror-symmetrical to the locking portions 81 and 82, and therefore, the following description will focus on the locking portions 81 and 82. Alternatively, the locking portions 82 and 84 may be omitted while the locking portions 81 and 83 may be retained.

[0058] like Figure 9 As shown, the locking portion 81 includes a locking surface 81a and a guide surface 81b. The locking portion 82 includes a locking surface 82a and a guide surface 82b. The guide surfaces 81b and 82b approach each other as they extend rearward along the center line SL of the socket 3, and can be, for example, flat surfaces or curved surfaces. The locking surfaces 81a and 82a are located in a plane that intersects or is orthogonal to the center line SL of the socket 3. An angular edge having an acute angle is formed between the guide surface 81b and the locking surface 81a. Similarly, an angular edge having an acute angle is formed between the guide surface 82b and the locking surface 82a. The guide surface 81b and the guide surface 82b are formed symmetrically relative to the center line SL of the socket 3, and similarly, the locking surface 81a and the locking surface 82a are also formed symmetrically.

[0059] An accommodation space 85n is formed between the locking portion 81 and the rear wall 65n of the housing 6 to accommodate the locking protrusion 41a on the front side of the locked portion 41. An accommodation space 85m is formed between the locking portion 82 and the rear wall 65m of the housing 6 to accommodate the locking protrusion 42a on the front side of the locked portion 42. An opening is formed between the left and right rear walls 65m and 65n of the housing 65 to allow water and debris to be drained from the housing 6, while also contributing to the weight reduction of the socket 3.

[0060] A storage space is also formed between the locking portion 83 and the rear wall 65n of the housing 6 to accommodate the locked protrusion 41b on the back side of the locked portion 41. A storage space is formed between the locking portion 84 and the rear wall 65m of the housing 6 to accommodate the locked protrusion 42b on the back side of the locked portion 42. A through hole (not shown) can be formed in the rear panel 62 of the housing 6 within a range corresponding to the storage space behind the locking portions 83 and 84, thereby facilitating the drainage of water and garbage and reducing the weight of the socket 3.

[0061] Special reference Figure 7 The locking portion 82 includes a wall surface 82k exposed through the window 64j and located slightly inward of the socket 3 relative to the outer surface 64m of the side plate 64. The edge 82p formed by the wall surface 82k and the guide surface 82b is located slightly inward of the socket 3 relative to the outer surface 64m of the side plate 64. This allows the guide surface 82b to tilt gradually over a longer distance, thereby helping to reduce the momentum of the plug 2 being ejected from the socket 3. In addition, the front end of the guide surface 82b is aligned with the edge 82p in the example shown in the figure, but it can also be located slightly behind the edge 82p. The inward of the socket refers to the direction from a point on the outside of the socket toward a point on the inside of the socket, and the outward of the socket refers to the direction opposite thereto.

[0062] The description of the locking portion 82 is also applicable to the other locking portions. For example, the locking portion 81 has a wall surface 81k and an edge 81p formed by the wall surface 81k and the guide surface 81b (see FIG. Figure 11 ). The front end of the guide surface 81b is aligned with the edge 81p in the example shown in the figure, but may be located slightly behind the edge 81p. The other locking portions 83 and 84 are constructed similarly.

[0063] When connecting the plug 2 to the receptacle 3, the arms 21 and 22 are first inserted between the front plate 61 and the back plate 62 of the housing 6. As the plug 2 is inserted obliquely into the receptacle 3, the guide protrusion 5 abuts the inclined edge of the wedge-shaped path 71, guiding it to the straight path 72. By the time the locked portions 41 and 42 abut the guide surfaces 81b and 82b, respectively, the front end (distal end) of the guide protrusion 5 has already engaged the straight path 72. This stabilizes the position of the plug 2 relative to the receptacle 3 even as the arms 21 and 22 elastically deform. As the plug 2 moves further forward, the arms 21 and 22 bend, causing the locked portions 41 and 42 to approach each other due to the guide surfaces 81b and 82b. This amount of deflection can correspond to the force applied to the plug 2 by the receptacle 3 when the plug 2 is released from the receptacle 3. As the plug 2 moves further forward, the locked portions 41 and 42 pass the guide surfaces 81b and 82b, causing the arms 21 and 22 to elastically return to their original shape. At this time, the locked portions 41 and 42 are respectively located adjacent to the rear of the locking portions 81 and 82 (particularly, the locking surfaces 81 a and 82 a thereof) and are locked by the locking portions 81 and 82 .

[0064] In this embodiment, when the connection between the socket 3 and the plug 2 is released, the plug 2 is ejected in a direction away from the socket 3. Specifically, the guide surfaces 81b and 82b are inclined away from each other as they extend along the central axis of the linear path 72 toward the introduction end side of the introduction path 7. Therefore, when the arms 21 and 22 elastically return to their original shapes during the process of releasing the plug 2 from the socket 3, the plug 2 is ejected in a direction away from the socket 3 along the central axis of the linear path 72 in response to the force applied to the guide surfaces 81b and 82b by the locked portions 41 and 42 (see FIG. 1 ). Figure 12 and Figure 13 By promoting the ejection of the plug 2, the connection between the plug 2 and the socket 3 is quickly released, and in particular, the connection between the two can be released with one hand.

[0065] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the arms 21 and 22 elastically return to their original shapes as the plug 2 is ejected from the socket 3, the guide protrusion 5 is continuously engaged with the straight path 72 during the entire period in which the locked portions 41 and 42 slide on the guide surfaces 81b and 82b, respectively (see FIG. Figure 14 ). Thus, the ejection direction of the plug 2 is determined, and it is possible to effectively prevent the plug 2 from being ejected in an unexpected direction (for example, toward the face of the wearer of the clothes to which the buckle 1 is attached). Figure 12 In this embodiment, the plug 2 can be prevented from popping out obliquely upward (for example, toward the wearer's head) relative to the horizontal direction in which the first and second belt members are arranged.

[0066] Figure 14The locked portion 42 is shown in a state adjacent to the front end region of the guide surface 82b (the same applies to the locked portion 41 and other locked portions). At this time, the front end of the guide protrusion 5 is engaged with the linear path 72. This allows the ejection direction of the plug 2 to be determined as described above, facilitating controlled ejection.

[0067] The above-mentioned feature, namely, “while the arms 21 and 22 elastically return to their original shapes due to the plug 2 being ejected from the socket 3, the guide protrusion 5 and the straight path 72 continue to be engaged throughout the entire period during which the locked portions 41 and 42 respectively slide on the guide surfaces 81b and 82b” can be replaced by the following feature, namely, “while the arms 21 and 22 elastically return to their original shapes due to the plug 2 being ejected from the socket 3, the engagement between the guide protrusion 5 and the straight path 72 is maintained at the moment when the locked portions 41 and 42 respectively abut the front end areas of the guide surfaces 81b and 82b”.

[0068] Figure 15 Shown in Figure 14 At the same time, the auxiliary protrusion 9 has been released from the opposite linear path 72'. While making the auxiliary protrusion 9 longer, similar to the guide protrusion, more reliably determines the ejection direction of the plug 2, this may reduce the ease with which the plug 2 can be inserted into the receptacle 3. Therefore, to achieve a balance between these two requirements, it is advantageous to make the auxiliary protrusion 9 shorter than the guide protrusion 5. Furthermore, it is also conceivable to omit the auxiliary protrusion 9.

[0069] Figure 16 and Figure 17 It is shown for reference only. Figure 16 As shown, when the guide protrusion 5 abuts against the inclined edge of the wedge-shaped path 71 , the auxiliary protrusion 9 does not abut against the inclined edge of the wedge-shaped path 71 ′ on the opposite side.

[0070] If it can be Figure 18 As can be seen, advantageously, even when the locked portions 41 and 42 are separated from the guide surfaces 81b and 82b (in other words, when a gap is formed between the locked portions and the guide surfaces), the engagement between the guide protrusion 5 and the straight path 72 is maintained. This further improves the straightness of the ejection of the plug 2.

[0071] Based on the above disclosure, those skilled in the art can add various modifications to the various embodiments and features. The reference numerals added to the claims are for reference only and should not be used for the purpose of limiting the interpretation of the claims.

Claims

1. A buckle comprising: a plug (2) having a first arm (21) and a second arm (22) each having elasticity to such an extent that the first arm (21) and the second arm (22) can be swung in the plug width direction; and an intermediate arm (23) arranged between the first arm (21) and the second arm (22) in the plug width direction and having a higher rigidity than the first arm (21) and the second arm (22), wherein the first arm (21) has a first operated arm to be operated for the first arm (21) to be swung. The second arm (22) has a second operated portion (32) that is operated for its swinging and a second locked portion (42) that is located closer to the top end of the second arm (22) than the second operated portion (32), and the intermediate arm (23) includes a guide protrusion (5) extending in the same direction as the intermediate arm (23); and A socket (3) having a housing (6) for at least partially accommodating the first arm (21) and the second arm (22), the housing (6) comprising a surface plate (61), a back plate (62), and a first side plate (63) and a second side plate (64) connecting the surface plate (61) and the back plate (62), at least one of the surface plate (61) and the back plate (62) having an introduction path (7) for the guide protrusion (5) to be introduced, formed by partially removing the housing (6), the introduction path (7) comprising at least a straight path (72), and when the plug (2) and the socket (3) are connected, the guide protrusion (5) is at least partially engaged with the straight path (72), wherein, The housing (6) has a first locking portion (81) and a second locking portion (82) formed on both sides of the central axis of the linear path (72) in order to individually lock the first locked portion (41) and the second locked portion (42), the first locking portion (81) including a first locking surface (81a) and a first guide surface (81b), and the second locking portion (82) including a second locking surface (82a) and a second guide surface (82b). The first guide surface (81b) and the second guide surface (82b) are inclined away from each other as they extend along the central axis toward the introduction end side of the introduction path (7), so that when the plug (2) is released from the socket (3), the first arm (21) and the second arm (22) elastically return to their original shapes, and the force applied to the first guide surface (81b) and the second guide surface (82b) from the first locked portion (41) and the second locked portion (42) causes the plug (2) to pop out along the central axis in a direction away from the socket (3). In the process of the first arm (21) and the second arm (22) elastically returning to their original shapes due to the plug (2) being ejected from the socket (3), the guide protrusion (5) is continuously engaged with the straight path (72) throughout the entire period during which the first locked portion (41) and the second locked portion (42) slide on the first guide surface (81b) and the second guide surface (82b), respectively.

2. The buckle according to claim 1, wherein: The surface plate (61) has a surface side introduction path (7) as the introduction path (7), the back panel (62) has a back side introduction path (7'), and the back side introduction path (7') has a profile that is consistent or substantially consistent with the profile of the surface side introduction path (7) when viewed from the front-back direction, and the intermediate arm (23) has an auxiliary protrusion (9), which is located on the opposite side of the guide protrusion (5) in the front-back direction and has a length shorter than the length (L5) of the guide protrusion (5).

3. The buckle according to claim 2, wherein: The length (L9) of the auxiliary protrusion (9) is less than half the length (L5) of the guide protrusion (5).

4. The buckle according to claim 2, wherein: The auxiliary protrusion (9) terminates at a position between the first operated portion (31) and the second operated portion (32).

5. The buckle according to claim 2, wherein: During the connection between the plug (2) and the socket (3), the auxiliary protrusion (9) engages with the straight path (72') included in the back-side introduction path (7') later than the engagement between the guide protrusion (5) and the straight path (72).

6. The buckle according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein: The auxiliary protrusion (9) has a height that gradually decreases as it extends toward the top end side of the intermediate arm (23).

7. The buckle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: The introduction path (7) has a wedge-shaped path whose width gradually decreases from the introduction end of the introduction path (7) toward the straight path (72), and the wedge-shaped path has two inclined edges (71a, 71b) that define its width, and the two inclined edges (71a, 71b) each form an acute angle within a range of 30° to 50° relative to a line parallel to the central axis.

8. The buckle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: The first side plate has a first window that allows the first operated portion to protrude laterally when the socket and the plug are connected, and the second side plate has a second window that allows the second operated portion to protrude laterally when the socket and the plug are connected. The first locking portion includes a first wall surface exposed through the first window and located slightly inward of the socket relative to the outer surface of the first side plate, and a first edge formed by the first wall surface and the first guide surface is located slightly inward of the socket relative to the outer surface of the first side plate. The second locking portion has a second wall surface exposed through the second window and located slightly closer to the inside of the socket than the outer surface of the second side plate, and a second edge formed by the second wall surface and the second guide surface is located slightly closer to the inside of the socket than the outer surface of the second side plate.

9. A garment, wherein The garment contains: The buckle (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5; a first belt component mounted on the plug (2); a second belt component mounted on the socket (3); and The first garment portion and the second garment portion are connected at least by the first belt member, the second belt member and the buckle. When a person wears the clothing and completes the connection between the plug (2) and the socket (3), the first belt member and the second belt member are oriented in the horizontal direction.

10. An article, wherein The article comprises the buckle (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, and when a person wears the article, the plug (2) and the socket (3) can be connected and disconnected by one or both hands.

11. The article according to claim 10, wherein The articles are clothes, bags or sacks.

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