Buckle with pull ring

Abstract

A buckle assembly (1) has a base body (11) and an actuation button (20). The base body has a first hook element (18) facing the rear end (15), and the actuation button is disposed in a cavity (17) of the base body (11). The actuation button (20) is connected to the base body (11) by a spring (50) such that the actuation button (20) can move between an extended rest position and a compressed position. The actuation button (20) has a second hook element (24) on its bottom surface (22), and the second hook element faces the front end (14) of the base body (11). The pull ring (30) is connected to the base body (11) and the actuation button (20) by the following operations: assembling the pull ring (30) around the first hook element (18), pressing the actuation button (20), pivoting the actuation button (20) and the base body (11) until the second hook element (24) is positioned within the central opening (31) of the pull ring (30), and releasing the actuation button (20) so that the pull ring (30) is held in the hook elements (18, 24) under the pressure of the spring (50). The buckle assembly (1) is simple and lightweight. The rope can be securely attached to the buckle assembly (1).

Description

Background of the Invention 1. Technical Field

[0002] This invention relates to a buckle with a pull ring to which an anular cord is attached. Specifically, the invention relates to a buckle that can be attached to a belt and has a spring-loaded portion that allows the pull ring to engage and disengage.

[0003] 2. Existing Technology

[0004] Two-piece buckles are commonly used to attach two straps or ropes to each other, or to attach straps to items such as a piece of luggage. These buckles typically take the form of side-release buckles, as shown in U.S. Patent No. 5,546,642 to Anscher, or center-push buckles, as shown in U.S. Patent No. 6,446,314 to Anscher. However, it is often desirable to construct a buckle with lighter components and simpler manufacturing. Furthermore, attaching ropes to conventional buckles is often not straightforward, as these buckles are designed to accommodate flat straps. Summary of the Invention

[0005] One object of the present invention is to develop a two-piece buckle, wherein at least one of the components is simple and lightweight. Another object of the present invention is to provide a buckle in which a rope can be securely attached.

[0006] This objective is achieved by a buckle assembly comprising two separate buckle portions joined together under spring tension. A first buckle portion includes a body having a top surface, a bottom surface, a front end, and a rear end. The bottom surface of the first buckle portion has a first hook element having an engagement surface facing the rear end. An actuation button is disposed in a cavity of the body and extends to the front end of the body. The actuation button is connected to the body by a spring such that by pressing the actuation button toward the rear end of the body to compress the spring, the actuation button can slide between an extended rest position and a compressed position. Releasing the actuation button causes it to slide back to the extended position by allowing the spring to return to its rest state. The actuation button has a second hook element on its bottom surface. The second hook element has an engagement surface facing the front end of the body such that the first hook element and the second hook element face opposite directions. A strap can be attached to the first buckle portion in any suitable manner. For example, the first buckle portion may be equipped with one or more strap retainers that allow the strap to be sewn or threaded in an adjustable manner.

[0007] The second buckle portion is a generally annular structure with a central opening. The second buckle portion is configured to connect to the body and the actuation button by: fitting the ring around the first hook element; pressing the actuation button toward the rear end of the body; pivoting the actuation button and the body until the second hook element is positioned within the central opening; and releasing the actuation button so that the ring is held in the hook element under the pressure of a spring. The ring can be used to attach straps or ropes, allowing items such as bags, whistles, or other items to be attached to the buckle assembly.

[0008] In one embodiment, the second buckle portion is in the form of a pull ring having a ring body with a central opening, a first side and a second side, a first hole extending radially from the outer surface of the ring body to the central opening, a second hole extending radially from the outer surface of the ring body to the central opening on the side of the ring body opposite to the first hole, a third hole extending from the first side of the ring body to the second side of the ring body adjacent to the first hole, and a fourth hole extending from the first side of the ring body to the second side of the ring body adjacent to the second hole. This arrangement of the holes allows for the attachment of ropes in a novel manner. The rope is attached by feeding the rope from the outside through the first hole to the central opening, around to the first side, through the third opening to the second side, from the second side to the first side into the fourth opening, around the ring body, and through the second hole from the central opening to the outside of the ring body. The end of the rope is connected to a knot with a diameter larger than that of the first and second holes, such that pulling the rope between the third and fourth holes presses the knot against the first and second holes, preventing the rope from passing through. This forms a loop extending from the ring, allowing an object to be attached to the rope and thus to the buckle assembly by clamping it or wrapping it around the rope. After the rope is assembled onto the loop, the knot can be molded onto the rope, thus completing the permanent attachment of the rope to the loop.

[0009] Preferably, the first and second holes each have an enlarged region on the radially outer surface of the ring body, such that when the rope is pulled between the third and fourth holes, the knot is situated within the enlarged region. In this embodiment, the enlarged region tapers towards the central opening, and each knot has a shape corresponding to the enlarged region, such that when the rope is pulled between the third and fourth holes, the knot does not extend beyond the radially outer surface of the ring body. Thus, the knot does not protrude from the ring body and does not interfere with its operation. In another embodiment, the radially outer surface of the ring body is flat in the region of the first hole and in the region of the second hole.

[0010] The first buckle portion has a body configured to receive a push button in a sliding manner. In one embodiment, the body includes two legs extending toward the front end. Each leg has a guide element in the form of an inwardly extending protrusion that slides within a guide groove disposed on the opposite side of the actuation button to align the actuation button with the body.

[0011] The actuation button is held in place by the force of a spring mounted between the actuation button and the body. In one embodiment, the spring is a helical spring mounted on a post of the body and extending into a spring opening at the rear end of the actuation button. The spring is sized and positioned such that, in a stationary state, the actuation button is held in an extended position, in which the second hook element is spaced apart from the first hook element by a distance greater than the size of the opening in the second buckle portion.

[0012] Preferably, the actuation button is flush with the top surface of the body, giving the first buckle portion an ergonomic and aesthetically pleasing appearance. To facilitate sliding the actuation button during assembly and disassembly of the buckle assembly, the actuation button includes a downwardly extending push surface at its front end. This provides a large surface area for the user, and the pressing direction is directly perpendicular to the push surface, making sliding the actuation button simple and eliminating the need for precise finger positioning.

[0013] In an alternative implementation, the second buckle portion is releasably attached to a back panel, which may be secured to the article, such as by stitching or gluing. Thus, the second buckle portion is securely positioned on a flat article, which may be a backpack, a piece of clothing, or any other flat surface, and the first buckle portion can be attached to and removed from the second buckle portion to attach another item to the flat article. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood that the drawings are intended for illustration only and not for limiting the scope of the invention.

[0015] In the accompanying drawings, which are consistent throughout several views, similar reference numerals denote similar elements:

[0016] Figure 1 A top perspective view of the assembled buckle assembly according to the present invention is shown;

[0017] Figure 2 A bottom view of the buckle assembly is shown;

[0018] Figure 3 A top perspective view of the main body of the first buckle section is shown;

[0019] Figure 4 A bottom view of the main body of the first buckle section is shown;

[0020] Figure 5 A top plan view of the main body of the first buckle section is shown;

[0021] Figure 6 A side view of the main body of the first buckle portion is shown;

[0022] Figure 7 A top perspective view of the actuation button of the first buckle portion is shown;

[0023] Figure 8 A bottom view of the actuation button is shown;

[0024] Figure 9 A side view of the actuation button is shown;

[0025] Figure 10 A top perspective view showing the assembly of the first buckle section is shown;

[0026] Figure 11 A bottom perspective view of the assembly of the first buckle section is shown;

[0027] Figure 12 A side view of the assembled first buckle portion is shown;

[0028] Figure 13 An exploded view of the components of the first buckle section is shown;

[0029] Figure 14 A cross-sectional side view of the assembled first buckle section in a stationary state is shown;

[0030] Figure 15 A cross-sectional side view of the assembled first buckle section in a compressed state is shown;

[0031] Figure 16 A top perspective view of the second buckle portion according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0032] Figure 17 A bottom perspective view of the second buckle section is shown;

[0033] Figure 18 A top plan view of the second buckle section is shown;

[0034] Figure 19 A side view of the second buckle portion is shown;

[0035] Figure 20 The diagram shows the rope being assembled onto the loop of the second buckle section;

[0036] Figure 21 The assembly and release of the second buckle portion from the first buckle portion are shown;

[0037] Figure 22 A side view of the buckle assembly in its fully assembled state is shown;

[0038] Figure 23 An alternative embodiment of the second buckle portion is shown; and

[0039] Figure 24 It shows the use of Figure 23 The implementation plan and the buckle assembly installed on the item. Detailed Implementation

[0040] Please refer to the attached diagram for details. Figure 1 and Figure 2 A complete buckle assembly according to the present invention is shown. The buckle assembly 1 is formed by a first buckle portion 10, an actuation button 20, a second buckle portion in the form of a pull ring 30, and a pull cord 40 connected to the pull ring 30. By sliding the actuation button 20 under spring force, the pull ring 30 can engage and disengage with the first buckle portion 10, which will be discussed in detail below.

[0041] Figures 3 to 6A first buckle portion 10 is shown, having a base body 11 having a top surface 12, a bottom surface 13, a front end 14, and a rear end 15. Two legs 111 and 112 extend toward the front end 14, with a cavity 17 between them for receiving an actuation button 20. Two guide protrusions 113 and 114 extend inwardly from the legs 111 and 112, respectively. A belt engaging rod 16 is mounted at the rear end 15 of the base body 11 for connecting the belt to the first buckle portion 10. A first hook element 18 extends from the bottom surface 13, with its engaging surface 118 facing the rear end 15. A spring engaging post 119 extends from the base structure 19 in the cavity 17.

[0042] Figures 7 to 9 An actuation button 20 is depicted, having a top surface 21, a bottom surface 22, and a downwardly extending push surface 23. A second hook element 24 extends from the bottom surface 22, having an engagement surface 124 facing the push surface 23 and extending in the opposite direction to the first hook element 18 when the actuation button 20 is assembled onto the first buckle portion 10. Guide grooves 25 and 26 are provided on the sides of the actuation button 20, facing the rear end 27 of the actuation button 20.

[0043] The actuation button 20 is assembled onto the first buckle portion 10, such as... Figures 10 to 15 As shown. Here, the guide protrusions 113 and 114 from the outriggers 111 and 112 (as shown) Figure 5 (As seen) slide into the guide grooves 25 and 26 of the actuation button 20 (e.g.) Figures 7 to 9 (as seen), so that the actuation button 20 is located in the cavity 17 of the first buckle portion 10. Figures 13 to 15 The spring 50 shown is connected to the first buckle portion 10 by mounting one end to the spring engagement post 119 of the first buckle portion 10 and the other end to the spring opening 29 of the actuation button 20. In... Figures 10 to 12 as well as Figure 14 In the static state shown, the actuation button 20 is held in the extended position by the spring 50. Pressing the actuation surface 23 toward the first buckle portion 10 causes the actuation button 20 to slide further into the cavity 17 of the first buckle portion 10 to compress the buckle assembly, which in Figure 15 As shown in the image.

[0044] Pull ring 30 Figures 16 to 20The pull ring 30 is shown in detail below. It has a central aperture 31, a first hole 32 and a second hole 33 extending radially outward from the central aperture 31 to the outer surface of the pull ring, and a third hole 34 and a fourth hole 35 extending axially from the front surface 36 of the pull ring 30 to the rear surface 37 and adjacent to the first hole 32 and the second hole 33. The outer surface of the pull ring 30 adjacent to the holes 32 and 33 is flat. A pull cord 40 extends from the outside of the pull ring 30 through the first hole 32, around the central aperture 31 and through the third hole 34, across the front surface 36, through the fourth hole 35 to the rear surface 37, and then through the second hole 33 from the inside out. Figure 16 and Figure 17 As shown, the pull rope 40 is secured to the pull ring 30. Figure 19 and Figure 20 The knot 41 shown is attached to each free end of the pull rope 40 after it passes through holes 32 to 35, such that when the pull rope 40 is pulled between holes 34 and 35, the free end with knot 41 is located in the first hole 32 and the second hole 33 and cannot be pulled through. Figure 16 and Figure 17 As shown, the outer portions of holes 32 and 33 have widened portions 32' and 33' to accommodate nodes 41, ensuring they do not protrude from holes 32 and 33 during use. Figure 20 As shown, the shape of the node 41 can be conical or triangular, widening towards the end, and the widened portions 32' and 33' can also have corresponding shapes. One way to construct the pull ring 30 is to pass the pull cord 40 through the holes 32 to 35, and then mold the node 41 onto the free end of the pull cord 40, so that the pull cord 40 is permanently attached to the pull ring 30.

[0045] Figure 21 and Figure 22 This illustrates how to attach the pull ring 30 to the first buckle portion 10. First, hook the pull ring 30 onto the first hook element 18 of the first buckle portion 10. Then, by pressing the push surface 23, the actuation button slides toward the first buckle portion 10, causing the spring 50 to compress (see...). Figure 15 Pushing the actuation button 20 toward the first buckle portion 10 until the second hook element 24 passes the pull ring 30, at which point the first buckle portion 10 can be pushed downwards, causing the second hook element 24 to grasp the inner surface of the pull ring 30 and secure the pull ring 30 to the first buckle portion 10. Releasing the actuation button 20 allows the spring 50 to return to its extended position, as if... Figure 22 As indicated by the arrow, the pull ring 30 is locked to the first buckle portion 10. The spring tension of the spring 50 prevents the pull ring 30 from disengaging from the first buckle portion 10.

[0046] To release the first buckle portion 10, the user presses and pushes the surface 23, such as... Figure 21As shown, the first buckle portion 10 can be lifted away from that side of the pull ring 30 until the second hook element 24 passes the pull ring 30. Then, the pull ring 30 can be removed from the first hook element 18 to separate the two buckle portions from each other.

[0047] Instead of the pull ring 30 with the pull cord 40, different mechanisms can be attached to the first buckle portion 10, such as... Figure 23 and Figure 24 As shown. In this embodiment, the second buckle portion is in the form of a ring 70, having a drooping lip 71 that engages with a hook element 18 on the first buckle portion 10 and a hook element 24 on the actuation button 20, to conform to the reference. Figure 21 and Figure 22 The same method is used to secure the ring 70 to the first buckle portion 10. The ring 70 is configured to attach to the plate 80 for attachment to an item such as a backpack 100. The plate 80 can be sewn onto the backpack 100, and the ring 70 can then be attached to the plate 80 via a hook or fastener engaging in the opening 81, or it can be sewn onto the backpack 100 in any suitable manner. This implementation allows for a very simple and secure closure of the top of the backpack. The spring tension of the spring 50 holds the buckle in the locked position without requiring significant force to unlock it or any bending of the plastic parts of the buckle.

[0048] Therefore, although only a few embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it is obvious that many changes and modifications can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A buckle assembly comprising: The first buckle portion includes a body having a top surface, a bottom surface, a front end, and a rear end, the bottom surface having a first hook element having an engagement surface facing the rear end; An actuation button is disposed within the cavity of the body and extends to the front end of the body. The actuation button is connected to the body by a spring, such that the spring is compressed by pressing the actuation button toward the rear end of the body. The actuation button is movable between an extended rest position and a compressed position. The actuation button has a second hook element on its bottom surface, the second hook element having an engagement surface facing the front end of the body. as well as The second buckle portion has a central opening and is configured to be connected to the body and the actuation button by: fitting the second buckle portion around the first hook element, pressing the actuation button toward the rear end of the body, pivoting the actuation button and the body until the second hook element is positioned within the central opening, and releasing the actuation button such that the second buckle portion is held in the first hook element and the second hook element under the pressure of the spring.

2. The buckle assembly according to claim 1, wherein the second buckle portion is a pull ring, the pull ring comprising: A ring body having a central opening, a first side surface and a second side surface, a first hole extending radially from the outer radial surface of the ring body to the central opening, a second hole extending radially from the outer radial surface of the ring body to the central opening on the side of the ring body opposite to the first hole, a third hole extending from the first side surface of the ring body to the second side surface of the ring body adjacent to the first hole, and a fourth hole extending from the first side surface of the ring body to the second side surface of the ring body adjacent to the second hole. A pull cord extends from the outside of the ring body, passes through the first hole to the central hole, wraps around to the first side, passes through the third hole to the second side, passes from the second side to the first side and enters the fourth hole, wraps around the ring body, and passes through the second hole from the central hole to the outside of the ring body. One end of the pull rope extends from the first hole, and the opposite end of the pull rope extends from the second hole, and each end of the pull rope has a knot larger than the diameter of the first hole and the second hole, such that pulling the pull rope between the third hole and the fourth hole presses the knot against the first hole and the second hole, preventing the pull rope from passing through.

3. The buckle assembly of claim 2, wherein the first hole and the second hole each have an enlarged region at the radial outer surface of the ring body, and wherein the knot is located in the enlarged region when the pull cord is pulled between the third hole and the fourth hole.

4. The buckle assembly of claim 3, wherein the enlarged region tapers toward the central opening, and wherein each node has a shape corresponding to the enlarged region such that when the pull cord is pulled between the third and fourth holes, the node does not extend beyond the radial outer surface of the ring.

5. The buckle assembly of claim 2, wherein the radial outer surface of the ring is flat in the region of the first hole and the region of the second hole.

6. The buckle assembly of claim 1, wherein the body includes two legs extending toward the front end, the legs having guide elements that slide within guide grooves disposed on the opposite side of the actuation button to align the actuation button with the body.

7. The buckle assembly of claim 6, wherein the guide element includes a protrusion extending inwardly from the leg.

8. The buckle assembly of claim 1, wherein the spring is a helical spring, the helical spring being mounted on a post of the body and extending into a spring opening at the rear end of the actuation button.

9. The buckle assembly of claim 1, wherein the body includes a belt retaining element disposed on the rear end of the body.

10. The buckle assembly of claim 1, wherein the actuation button is flush with the top surface of the body.

11. The buckle assembly of claim 1, wherein the actuation button includes a downwardly extending push surface located on its front end.

12. The buckle assembly of claim 1, wherein the second buckle portion is connectable to a plate configured for attachment to an article.

13. The buckle assembly of claim 1, wherein the cord is connected to the second buckle portion to form a loop.

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