Dual Locking Mechanism for Fabric Attachment

Abstract

A fabric attachment mechanism comprising an attachment means (1) such as a pin for attaching the unit to fabric, a means of covering the attachment means (2) such as a rotating cylinder with a hollow

Description

Background to the Invention The invention addresses shortcomings in current fabric attachment methods by introducing a dual-locking mechanism. This design offers a secure hold and easy release, suitable for frequent use without the risk of accidental detachment or injury. Its simplicity and safety make it ideal for diverse applications, including children's toys, wearable tech, and medical devices, ensuring items stay attached until intentionally released. The mechanism improves upon traditional attachments by combining robustness, user-friendliness, and safety. The invention overcomes the limitations of traditional pin-based attachments, introducing a dual-locking mechanism that ensures secure and reliable attachment across various applications. It prevents accidental detachment, enhances user safety by shielding sharp edges, simplifies the fastening process, and is versatile enough to accommodate different fabric types and weights. This innovation is especially pertinent in high-movement scenarios and sensitive environments such as children's wear and toys, pet wearables and medical applications. This design addresses critical issues in fabric attachment: traditional pins lack grip, leading to detachment; they pose injury risks with exposed sharp points; their complexity hinders reliable use; and they fail to adapt to varying fabric types and weights. The proposed dual-locking mechanism delivers a secure hold, conceals sharp ends to prevent injury, offers simplicity in operation, and is versatile for diverse applications, ensuring items remain firmly attached without compromising safety or ease of use. The invention revolutionizes fabric attachment with a locking mechanism that offers strong, reliable hold, ease of use, and safety. It is versatile for various fabrics, mitigating common risks of detachment and injury associated with traditional pins with its dualstage locking mechanism.. Summary of the Invention To overcome the mentioned problems, the present invention proposes a fabric attachment unit with attachment means for attaching the unit to the fabric, covering means for encasing the attachment means such that the attachment means are fully and safely covered and actuation means for controlling the operation of the covering means. The actuation means require user-applied pressure to switch the unit from the locked position to the unlocked position. The fabric attachment unit includes a main plate that serves as the foundational base to which all other components are securely mounted. The design of the main plate facilitates precise alignment and stable assembly of these components, ensuring the mechanism operates smoothly and reliably. Additionally, the main plate is engineered to facilitate attachment of the unit to various devices using any means such as magnets or glue, enabling these devices to be securely fastened to the fabric. The attachment mean is provided by a sharp pin, although it may also be provided by other means, such as a clasp or hook. The pin can be incorporated with a joint or stop mechanism that limits its rotational movement to a predetermined angle range, determined during the design phase of the mechanism such as 45 degrees. This safety feature is specifically intended to prevent the pin from opening to angles that could cause serious injuries, such as a full 90-degree extension, ensuring safer interaction if the mechanism is left unattended. Simultaneously, this design allows for the mechanism's effective application across a variety of fabric types and attachment contexts, demonstrating its adaptability and user-focused design. The covering means are provided as a rotating cylinder, designed with a hollow part for encasing the pin, an engaging part for interaction with the actuation means, and a protrusion on the surface for interaction with a stop mechanism on the main plate. This setup facilitates a two-stage locking process after pin engagement with the fabric: in the first stage, the cylinder rotates to a closed position to encase the pin securely. The second stage involves the locking mechanism engaging with the cylinder, which maintains the cylinder in its closed position, ensuring the pin is safely and permanently covered and the cylinder cannot rotate unless direct user pressure is applied on the actuation means. The protrusion on the cylinder works with a stop mechanism on the main plate, limiting rotation to a specific angle range and preventing over-rotation. The actuation mean is provided as a sliding button, which is designed to control the locking and unlocking of the cylinder when user pressure is applied. This sliding button is integrated with a spring mechanism, urging the sliding button towards the engaging part of the cylinder. To lock, the user rotates the cylinder. During this rotation, the sliding button remains under constant spring pressure, but it cannot engage with the cylinder's engaging part until properly aligned. Upon reaching the correct rotational position, the button, guided by the spring pressure, automatically interacts with the engaging part of the cylinder, locking the cylinder in place. To unlock, the user applies pressure against the spring tension, releasing the cylinder from the sliding button engagement and enabling the user to rotate it to its open position. The sliding button's design ensures a smooth transition between the mechanism's two stages of locking: initial rotation of the cylinder to cover the pin and subsequent autoactivation of the locking feature to secure the cylinder and pin in place. The actuation means may also be provided by other methods, such as a mechanism whereby the user applies a downward pushing action directly on the cylinder. This design permits the cylinder to rotate solely while under continuous direct pressure. If the pressure is released, the cylinder locks in place, preventing any further rotation, thus ensuring a secure locking mechanism that requires deliberate user action for each operation. This dual-actuation approach - either via the sliding button, direct cylinder pressure, or any other mechanism - ensures safety in operation and prevents accidental detachments. Introduction to Drawings The invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 shows a standard view of the unit, demonstrating its general structure and how it appears when the pin is closed and the unit is unlocked, front view. Fig.2 shows a sectional view of the unit, demonstrating its general structure and how it appears when the pin is closed and the unit is unlocked, front view.. Fig. 3 shows a standard view of the unit, demonstrating its general structure and how it appears when the pin is closed and the unit is unlocked, back view. Fig.4 shows a sectional view of the unit, demonstrating its general structure and how it appears when the pin is closed and the unit is unlocked, back view. Fig. 5 shows a standard view of the unit, demonstrating its general structure and how it appears when the unit is locked, front view. Fig. 6 shows a sectional view of the unit, demonstrating its general structure and how it appears when the unit is locked, front view. Fig. 7 shows a standard view of the unit, demonstrating its general structure and how it appears when the unit is locked, back view. Fig. 8 shows a sectional view of the unit, demonstrating its general structure and how it appears when the unit is locked, back view Fig. 9 shows a view of the pin, cylinder, and the main plate when the pin is closed and the unit is unlocked, right view. Fig. 10 shows a view of the pin, cylinder, and the main plate when the pin is open and the unit is unlocked, right view. Fig. 11 shows a view of the cylinder and the main plate’s stop mechanism when the unit is unlocked, bottom view. Fig. 12 shows a sectional view of the cylinder and the main plate’s stop mechanism when the unit is locked, bottom view. Fig. 13 shows the main plate without any components, but with the cutouts designed for the pin, the cylinder and the sliding button. Detailed Description of the Invention: The invention presents a dual-locking mechanism incorporating a sharp steel pin 1 that penetrates the fabric with precision, ensuring secure fastening; A sliding bottom 7 for user actuation and a spring 8 for maintaining pressure on the sliding button 7; A cylinder 2 with a hollow part 3 that encases the sharp pin 1, a hole 6 that engages with the sliding button 7 for locking the cylinder and a protrusion 5 that interacts with the main plate’s stop mechanism 4 to prevent over-rotating; and a main plate 9 to securely hold the assembly together which includes a stop mechanism 4.. Sharp Steel Pin 1: The pin, crafted from high-grade steel, is sharply pointed to penetrate fabrics effectively, providing a strong and reliable attachment point. Its design ensures minimal effort is needed for penetration while maximizing the holding strength. Cylinder 2: The cylinder is designed to securely house the sharp pin 1 during the locking process. Its rotation, controlled by the sliding button 7, ensures the pin is securely engaged or released as needed. The cylinder includes a hollow part 3 for encasing the pin, a hole 6 for engaging with the sliding button 7 and a protrusion 5 for engaging with the stop mechanism 4 on the main plate 9. Sliding Button 7: This component allows manual operation of the locking mechanism. The user can slide the button horizontally to control the cylinder's rotation, engaging or disengaging the lock. It includes a spring 8 that exerts consistent pressure on the sliding button, ensuring it remains in the set position until intentionally actuated by the user. Main Plate 9: Serving as the structural foundation, the main plate provides a platform for precise mounting and alignment of the mechanism's components. It includes a bump working as a stop mechanism 4 which engages with cylinder’s protrusion 5, preventing the cylinder from over-rotating, a cutout 11 for the pin, a cutout 12 for the cylinder, and a cutout 10 for the sliding button. Example of Performance: Preparation for Engagement: Fig. 10 shows the unit after the user has prepared it for the attachment, ensuring the sharp steel pin 1 is open and correctly oriented for engagement with the fabric and the cylinder's hollow part 3 is facing outwards. Engaging the Pin: The user applies a gentle force to the sharp steel pin 1, allowing it to pierce the fabric. Due to its precision design and sharpness, the pin penetrates the fabric effectively, minimizing effort and ensuring a clean entry. Pin and Cylinder Interaction: After the fabric is pierced, the pin 1 is withdrawn. The pin is then inserted fully into the cylinder’s hollow part 3. Semi-Automatic Locking: As shown in Figi, Fig.2, Fig.3, Fig.4, and Fig.l 1, the user can only rotate the cylinder 2 counter-clockwise from the front view, as it cannot be rotated clockwise anymore because the cylinder’s protrusion 5 is engaged with the stop mechanism 4 implemented on the main plate 9. The spring 8 is contained in place by the main plate 9 and is pressuring the sliding button 7. User rotates the cylinder counterclockwise, during this rotation the sliding button 7 remains under constant spring 8 pressure, but it cannot engage with the cylinder's hole 6 until properly aligned with the hole 6. Upon reaching the correct rotational position, the button's 7 protrusion guided by the spring’s 8 pressure automatically enters the hole 6 in the cylinder, as shown in Fig.5, Fig.6, Fig.7, Fig.8, and Fig. 12 in the final locked state. This precise alignment results in the secure and stable locking of the pin 1 within the cylinder 2. Unlocking: As shown in Fig.6, Fig.8, and Fig. 12, to unlock, the user applies pressure to the sliding button 7, moving it against the spring's 8 pressure. This action disengages the button's 7 protrusion from the cylinder's hole 6, freeing the cylinder 2 to rotate clockwise from the front view. Notice that as shown in Fig. 12, the cylinder 2 cannot rotate counterclockwise anymore because the cylinder’s protrusion 5 is engaged with the main plate’s stop mechanism 4. After disengaging the button’s protrusion from cylinder’s hole 6, the user can then rotate the cylinder clockwise to orient the hollow part 3 outward, allowing for easy removal of the pin 1 from the cylinder and the fabric as shown in Fig.2 and Fig.4 in the final unlocked state. Variations and Modifications: While the described embodiment represents a preferred version of the invention, various modifications and alterations can be made without departing from the spirit and broader aspects of the invention, including but not limited to: Material Variations: While the current design is made of a steel pin and durable plastic components for the main plate, cylinder, and sliding button, these materials can be substituted or modified based on specific needs. For example, using metals with higher corrosion resistance for outdoor applications or medical-grade materials for healthcare settings. Size and Dimension Adjustments: The dimensions of the mechanism can be adjusted to accommodate different sizes or thicknesses of fabric. This includes scaling the entire mechanism for larger industrial applications or miniaturizing it for delicate fabric work. Mechanical Customization: The force exerted by the spring 8 on the sliding button 7 can be adjusted to modify the actuation force required. This allows the mechanism to be customized for user comfort or specific operational conditions. Functional Enhancements: Additional features can be incorporated to enhance the mechanism's functionality, such as adding a visual indicator to show the locked / unlocked statuses. Aesthetic Modifications: The external appearance of the mechanism can be modified to suit aesthetic preferences or branding requirements. This includes changes in color, shape, or the addition of logos or other design elements.

Claims

1. A fabric attachment mechanism comprising attachment means for attaching the unit to fabric, covering means for encasing the attachment means, and actuation means for releasing the covering means, wherein the mechanism is characterized by a two-stage locking process facilitated by the actuation means and subsequent moving of the covering means.

2. The fabric attachment mechanism of claim 1, wherein the attachment means includes a pin designed for penetration of the fabric without the need for pre-formed holes.

3. The fabric attachment mechanism of claim 2, wherein the pin further incorporates a joint or stop mechanism that allows the pin to pivot or rotate freely only within a predetermined angle range, preventing the pin from opening to angles that could cause serious injuries and enabling the mechanism to adapt to various fabric types and attachment scenarios.

4. The fabric attachment mechanism of claim 1 or 2, wherein the covering means comprises a rotatable cylinder that rotates between an open position, allowing the attachment means to engage or disengage with the fabric, and a closed position, wherein the attachment means is securely encased.

5. The fabric attachment mechanism of claim 4, wherein the cylinder includes an engaging feature that interacts with the actuation means, maintaining the cylinder in the closed position until user pressure is applied.

6. The fabric attachment mechanism of any preceding claims, wherein the actuation means include a sliding button, pushed by a pressuring mechanism towards a locked position, requiring user pressure to move to an unlocked position.

7. The fabric attachment mechanism of any preceding claims, wherein the actuation means include a push-down action applied directly to the cylinder by the user, and the cylinder is configured to allow rotation from the locked position to the unlocked position solely while under continuous direct pressure applied by the user.

8. The fabric attachment mechanism of claim 6, wherein a spring is configured to act as the pressuring mechanism to exert a predetermined amount of force on the sliding button, pressuring the button to return to the locked position when user pressure is removed.

9. The fabric attachment mechanism of any preceding claims, further comprising a main plate upon which the attachment means, covering means, and actuation means are mounted, and has further ability to facilitate attachment to various devices, enabling these devices to be securely fastened to the fabric.

10. The fabric attachment mechanism of any preceding claims, wherein the rotatable cylinder includes a protrusion that interacts with a stop mechanism on the main plate limiting the cylinder's rotation to a predetermined angle range preventing overrotation.

11. The fabric attachment mechanism of any preceding claims, wherein materials for the attachment means, covering means, actuation means, and main plate are selected for durability, corrosion resistance, and suitability for the intended application environment.

12. The fabric attachment mechanism of any preceding claims, wherein the mechanism is adaptable for use with various fabric types and thicknesses, through limiting the rotation angle of the attachment means, and / or adjusting the size and dimensions of the mechanism.

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