CLASP, GARMENT AND WEARABLE OBJECT

Abstract

The guide projection (5) and the straight passage (72) are held in an engaged state throughout a period in which the first and second locked portions (41, 42) slide on the first and second guide surfaces (81b, 82b), respectively, while the first and second arms (21, 22) elastically return to their original shape to cause the male part (2) to spring out from the female part (3).

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-38269, filed on March 12, 2024, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a clasp, a garment, and a wearable article. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Japanese Patent No. 4203461 (referred to as D1) discloses a technique for coupling a female part and a male part more easily and smoothly. Specifically, the female part has a tapered guide passage and an axial straight passage continuously connected to the guide passage, and the male part has a guide rod guided by the tapered guide passage.

[0004] International Publication No. 2013 / 121557 (referred to as D2) discloses a mount provided with connecting portions through which upper and lower plates of the mount are connected in order to increase the rigidity of the mount. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] Unlike the D1 mount, the D2 mount is provided with guide sections (see reference numeral 28 in Fig. 3 of D2). In a situation where guide sections are provided as in D2, there is a possibility that a plug-in part may spring out of a receptacle when the receptacle and plug-in part are uncoupled. The present inventors have revisited this issue and identified the new technical challenge of enabling a more controlled manner of springing the plug-in part out of the receptacle.

[0006] A clasp according to one aspect of the present disclosure may include a male part and a female part. The male part may include: a first arm having a degree of elasticity that allows the first arm to pivot in a male part width direction, the first arm including a first operated portion to be operated to allow the first arm to pivot, and a first locked portion located further toward a distal end of the first arm than the first operated portion; a second arm having a degree of elasticity that allows the second arm to pivot in the male part width direction, the second arm including a second operated portion to be operated to allow the second arm to pivot, and a second locked portion located further toward a distal end of the second arm than the second operated portion.and an intermediate arm arranged between the first and second arms in the insertion part width direction and having a higher rigidity than the first and second arms, wherein the intermediate arm includes a guide projection extending in the same direction as the intermediate arm. The receptacle may comprise a housing that at least partially houses the first and second arms, the housing comprising an upper plate, a lower plate, and first and second side plates by which the upper plate and the lower plate are connected to each other. At least one of the upper plate and the lower plate may have an insertion passage formed as a cutout of the housing and into which the guide projection enters, and the insertion passage may comprise a straight passage with which the guide projection is at least partially engaged at least whenwhen the male part and the female part are fully coupled. The housing has first and second locking portions arranged on both sides of a central axis of the straight passage for locking the first and second locked portions, respectively. 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 and second guide surfaces are inclined to diverge along the central axis toward an open insertion end of the insertion passage (e.g., the first and second guide surfaces may be arcuately diverged) to allow the male part to move in accordance with a force exerted by the first and second locked portions on the first and second guide surfaces.Since the first and second arms elastically return to their original shape, while the male part is released from the female part, they spring out along the central axis in a direction away from the female part. The guide projection and the straight passage are maintained in an engaged state throughout the entire period in which the first and second locked portions slide on the first and second guide surfaces, respectively, while the first and second arms elastically return to their original shape to cause the male part to spring out of the female part from the female part.

[0007] Alternatively to the above feature "the guide projection and the straight passage are maintained in an engaged state throughout a period in which the first and second locked portions slide on the first and second guide surfaces, respectively, while the first and second arms elastically return to their original shapes to cause the male part to pop out from the female part", an engaged state may be maintained between the guide projection and the straight passage at a time when the first and second locked portions are disposed adjacent to the front end portions of the first and second guide surfaces, respectively, while the first and second arms elastically return to their original shapes to cause the male part to pop out from the female part.Advantageously, the engaged state between the guide projection and the straight passage can be maintained even at a time when the locked portions are located away from the respective guide surfaces (ie, at a time when the locked portion is spaced from the guide surface).

[0008] In some embodiments, the upper plate may have an upper insertion passage (alternatively, a first insertion passage) as the insertion passage, and the lower plate may have a lower insertion passage (alternatively, a second insertion passage) having a contour that matches or substantially matches a contour of the upper insertion passage when viewed in the up-down direction. The intermediate arm may have an auxiliary protrusion disposed on a side opposite the guide protrusion in the up-down direction and having a length shorter than a length of the guide protrusion. The length of the auxiliary protrusion may be equal to or less than half the length of the guide protrusion. The auxiliary protrusion may end at a location between the first and second actuated portions (in the width direction).While the female and male parts are coupled, the guide projection and the straight passage are engaged with each other, after which the auxiliary projection is engaged with a straight passage of the lower straight passage. The auxiliary projection may have a height that gradually decreases as it extends toward a distal end of the intermediate arm.

[0009] In some embodiments, the insertion passage may further comprise a tapered passage having a width that gradually decreases from the open insertion end of the insertion passage toward the straight passage, the tapered passage having two slanted edges defining the width of the tapered passage, the two slanted edges each forming an acute angle of 30° to 50° with respect to a line parallel to the central axis.

[0010] In some embodiments, the first side plate may include a first window that allows the first actuated portion to protrude laterally in a coupled state of the receptacle and the male part, and the second side plate may include a second window that allows the second actuated portion to protrude laterally in the coupled state of the receptacle and the male part. The first locking portion may include a first wall surface exposed via the first window and disposed slightly inward of the receptacle relative to an outer surface of the first side plate, and a first edge formed between the first wall surface and the first guide surface may be disposed slightly inward of the receptacle relative to the outer surface of the first side plate.The second locking portion may include a second wall surface exposed via the second window and disposed slightly inward of the receptacle relative to an outer surface of the second side plate, and a second edge formed between the second wall surface and the second guide surface may be disposed slightly inward of the receptacle relative to the outer surface of the second side plate.

[0011] A garment according to another aspect of the present disclosure may comprise: the buckle having any of the above-mentioned buckle features or a combination thereof; a first strap attached to the male portion; a second strap attached to the female portion; and first and second portions of the garment connectable via at least the first strap, the second strap, and the buckle. The first and second straps are oriented horizontally when the garment has been put on by a person and the male portion and female portion have been fully coupled.

[0012] A wearable article according to another aspect of the present disclosure may include the above-mentioned clasp, and the male part and the female part may be coupled and uncoupled based on one- or two-handed operation by a person wearing the wearable article. The wearable article may be a garment, a bag, or a pouch. The garment may be workwear (commonly used on construction sites, high-rise construction sites, or in a factory), such as air-conditioned clothing with fans, water-cooled clothing, heating clothing, disaster protection clothing, or bulletproof clothing.

[0013] One aspect of the present disclosure may enable a more controlled protrusion of the plug from the receptacle. Specifically, the plug can be controlled to protrude from the receptacle in such a way that it flies out stably in a straight direction. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a buckle according to one aspect of the present disclosure, showing a state in which a male part has been separated from and completely uncoupled from a female part. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the buckle according to the aspect of the present disclosure, showing a state in which the male part has been fully coupled to the female part. Fig. 3 is a top view of the insert part. Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the insert. Fig. 5 is a side view of the insert part. Fig. 6 is a front view of the insert part. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the photograph from a different angle than in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a side view of the recording. Fig. 9 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the recording along the Fig. 8 alternating long and short dashed lines. Fig. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the specimen taken along a centerline of the specimen. Fig. 11 is a schematic plan view of the buckle in which the male part and the female part are coupled, and shows a partial cross section of a locked state of a locking portion and a locked portion. Fig. 12 is a schematic diagram of an assumed use state of the buckle, showing a state in which someone is wearing a garment, the male part and the female part have been completely coupled, and the first and second straps are oriented in a horizontal direction. Fig. Figure 13 is a schematic diagram showing a manner of protruding the male part from the female part in the assumed use state of the clasp. Fig. 14 is a schematic diagram showing an engaged state of a guide projection in a straight passage in a period in which the plug is disengaged from the socket. Fig. 15 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which an auxiliary projection has already been disengaged from the straight passage, unlike the state in Fig. 14 shown state of the guide projection. Fig. Figure 16 is a schematic diagram showing that the guide projection is guided by an inclined edge of a tapered passage. Fig. Figure 17 is a schematic diagram showing that the auxiliary projection is not guided by the slanting edge of the tapered passage. Fig. 18 is a schematic diagram showing that the guide projection and the straight passage are maintained in the engaged state even in a state where the locked portion is away from the locking portion. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Non-limiting embodiments and features of the present invention are discussed below with reference to the drawings. A person skilled in the art would be able to combine respective embodiments and / or features without requiring excessive descriptions and would recognize synergistic effects of such combinations. Overlapping descriptions among the embodiments are generally omitted. Drawings to which reference is made serve primarily to describe inventions and are simplified for the sake of simplicity. The respective features are to be understood as universal features that are proven not only for the clasp shown here, but also for various other clasps not shown in the present description.

[0015] In this specification, the thickness and width directions of a clasp (receptacle or male part) correspond to the up-down and left-right directions of the clasp (receptacle or male part), respectively. Front-back directions are defined for the receptacle and the male part, respectively. Specifically, one end of the male part to be inserted into the receptacle is located at the front side (of the male part), and the opposite side corresponds to the back side (of the male part). A direction along a depth or toward a bottom side of the receptacle along the insertion direction of the male part corresponds to the back side (of the receptacle), and the opposite side corresponds to the front side (of the receptacle). To distinguish components with the same name, terms such as first, second, third, and fourth may be used. However, for convenience of description, these terms may be omitted.

[0016] The structure and function of a clasp 1 are explained using Fig. 1 to 17. The clasp 1 has an insert part 2 and a receptacle 3, which can be coupled together (see Fig. 1 and Fig. 2). For example, the clasp 1 can be shaped mirror-symmetrically to its center line BL (see Fig. 2). The clasp 1 can be used on garments such as vests, bags such as backpacks, pouches, and various other items. The clasp 1 is particularly useful when a person wears a garment and manipulates the clasp with one or both hands to engage and disengage the male part 2 and the female part 3, such as garments including workwear (commonly used on construction sites, high-rise construction sites, or in a factory), fan-cooled clothing, water-cooled clothing, heated clothing, disaster-prevention clothing, and bulletproof clothing, or knapsacks such as backpacks and satchels.

[0017] The plug-in part 2 and the receptacle 3 can be easily uncoupled by one-handed operation. By way of example, a first strap is attached to the plug-in part 2 and a second strap is attached to the receptacle 3; the plug-in part 2 and the receptacle 3 can be coupled to connect the first and second straps together; and the plug-in part 2 and the receptacle 3 can be uncoupled to separate the first and second straps (see Fig. 12 and Fig. 13). A strap length adjustment tool (not shown) can be used to adjust a degree of tightening by the wearer of clothing such as a vest. Note that the male part 2 and the female part 3 are separate injection-molded parts, exemplified by injection molding of synthetic resin. The rigidity of the male part 2 and the female part 3 can be adjusted by the choice of synthetic resin. The male part 2 and the female part 3 may have play in the coupled state, i.e., they may be slightly displaceable relative to each other (particularly along the center line BL of the buckle 1) while maintaining the coupled state of the two parts.

[0018] The insert part 2 can be shaped as an example mirror-symmetrical to its center line PL (see Fig. 1). The insert 2 has arms 21, 22, each having a degree of elasticity allowing it to pivot in a insert width direction; an intermediate arm 23 disposed between the arms 21, 22 in the insert width direction and having higher rigidity than the arms 21, 22; a belt attachment portion 26 to which the arms 21, 22 are connected (typically integrally) at their rear ends (proximal ends); and left and right inclined walls 27a, 27b located between the belt attachment portion 26 and the intermediate arm 23, and via which the belt attachment portion 26 and the intermediate arm 23 are connected to each other. The belt attachment portion 26 includes two bars 26a, 26b extending in the insertion part width direction and left and right walls 26c, 26d to which the bars 26a and 26b are connected at their left and right ends.For example, a belt is wound around the rod 26b so that the belt is attached to the belt attachment portion 26.

[0019] The arms 21, 22 are pivotally connected (typically integrally) in the plug-in width direction to the belt attachment portion 26 (the left and right walls 26c, 26d, respectively) and are shaped such that they come closer to each other as the plug-in advances, thus enabling smoother insertion into the receptacle 3.

[0020] The arm 21 has a proximal portion 21a, an actuated portion 31, a flat plate 21c, and a (distal) locked portion 41, in this order in a direction away from the left wall 26c of the belt attachment portion 26. The proximal portion 21a is sized to be sufficiently narrower than the actuated portion 31 so that the arm 21 can pivot. The actuated portion 31 is a portion to be actuated (e.g., with the index finger of a human hand) to pivot the arm 21 and is sized to be wider than the proximal portion 21a. In the example shown, the actuated portion 31 is an annular portion which is elongated in the front-rear direction and in which a through hole is formed (e.g., in the center), and which has a bulge toward the center line PL at the central position in the front-rear direction.

[0021] The flat plate 21c extends between the actuated portion 31 and the locked portion 41 and has a width that gradually decreases away from the actuated portion 31. In particular, the flat plate 21c has a side surface that approaches the center line PL of the plug-in part 2 as it extends forward. The flat plate 21c may be the thinnest portion in the arm 21 (see Fig. 5 and Fig. 6). The locked portion 41 is arranged further to the distal end of the arm 21 than the actuated portion 31 and has a locked projection 41a on the upper side and a locked projection 41b on the lower side (one of which may be omitted). In the example shown, the upper locked projection 41a protrudes from the upper surface of the flat plate 21c, and the lower locked projection 41b protrudes from the lower surface of the flat plate 21c (see Fig. 5 and Fig. 6). The locked projections 41a, 41b have upper and lower surfaces that converge as they extend forward, and these upper and lower surfaces may be symmetrical about a plane located at the center of the thickness of the insert part 2.

[0022] The arm 22 has a proximal portion 22a, an operated portion 32, a flat plate 22c, and a (distal) locked portion 42, in this order in a direction away from the right wall 26d of the belt attachment portion 26. The arm 22 is mirror-symmetrical to the arm 21 with respect to the center line PL of the plug-in part 2, and the same description as for the arm 21 applies here, so an overlapping description is omitted. Note that the operated portion 32 is a portion to be operated with the thumb of a human hand. Note that the locked portion 42 has a locked projection 42a on the upper side and a locked projection 42b on the lower side, one of which can be omitted, just like the locked portion 41.

[0023] The left inclined wall 27a extends obliquely to the right and forward from a front end of the left wall 26c of the belt attachment portion 26. The right inclined wall 27b extends obliquely to the left and forward from a front end of the right wall 26d of the belt attachment portion 26. The inclined walls 27a, 27b are mirror-symmetrical with respect to the center line PL of the insertion part 2 and form a V-shaped wall in front of the belt attachment portion 26. The inclined wall 27a may have upper and lower steps located on a side opposite the center line PL of the insertion part 2, and thus may have upper and lower wall edges 27c, 27f that have a smaller width.Similarly, the inclined wall 27b may have upper and lower steps located on a side opposite to the center line PL of the male part 2, and thus may have upper and lower wall edges 27d, 27e having a smaller width.

[0024] The intermediate arm 23 is connected (typically integrally) to the front ends of the inclined walls 27a, 27b and extends rectilinearly along the center line PL of the plug-in part 2 while maintaining a predetermined width. The intermediate arm 23 has a through hole h23 penetrating the intermediate arm 23. The through hole h23 extends rectilinearly along the center line PL of the plug-in part 2 between its front and rear ends, with the rear end being on the side of the belt attachment portion 26 and the front end being distal to the belt attachment portion 26. The intermediate arm 23 has a thickness that gradually decreases at its front end portion (distal end portion), thereby enabling smoother insertion into the receptacle 3.

[0025] The intermediate arm 23 has on its upper surface a guide projection 5 (see Fig. 3) and on its lower surface an auxiliary projection 9 (see Fig. 4). The guide projection 5 and the auxiliary projection 9 each extend in the same direction as the intermediate arm 23. The auxiliary projection 9 is arranged on the opposite side of the guide projection 5 in the up-down direction and has a length that is shorter than a length L5 of the guide projection 5. The auxiliary projection 9 does not have the same guiding ability as the guide projection 5, but this results in a suitable balance between the guiding ability based on the engagement of the guide projection 5 with a straight passage of the receptacle 3 (described below) and an easier insertion of the plug 2 into the receptacle 3.Note that, in a period in which the male part 2 and the female part 3 are coupled, following an (initial) engagement of the guide projection 5 with a straight passage 72, the auxiliary projection 9 is engaged with a straight passage 72' of a lower insertion passage 7' of the female part 3 (described below).

[0026] The guide projection 5 is connected (typically integrally) to the front ends of the upper wall edges 27c, 27d of the aforementioned inclined walls 27a, 27b. Preferably, the guide projection 5, in combination with the inclined walls 27a, 27b, is formed as a peripheral wall surrounding the entirety of the through-hole h23 of the intermediate arm 23. Thus, the guide projection 5 blends in appropriately with the overall shape of the insert part 2 and is thus less conspicuous. The guide projection 5 of an illustrated example has left and right walls and a semicircular front wall connecting the respective ends of the left and right walls, but a specific shape of the guide projection 5 should not be limited to this. For example, it is possible to omit the front end of the guide projection 5.The guide projection 5 does not necessarily have to be formed as a portion or entirety of an annular portion, but could also be formed by filling the through hole, for example. The guide projection 5 should not be limited to a single portion, but may be formed from front and rear portions formed by dividing it into two halves; and a space may be formed between the front and rear portions, sized so that the guiding ability of the guide projection 5 is not impaired. The number of dividing lines on the guide projection 5 should not be limited to one, but may be two or more. An embodiment is conceivable in which the guide projection 5 includes three or more islands arranged with spaces in the front-rear direction.

[0027] The auxiliary projection 9 is engaged with the straight passage 72' when the plug-in part 2 and the clasp 3 have been fully coupled ( Fig. 2), thereby preventing relative displacement between the male part 2 and the clasp 3 on both the top and bottom sides of the clasp 1. The auxiliary projection 9 is shorter than the guide projection 5, which means that the protruding movement of the male part 2 from the receptacle 3 is not or only slightly influenced when the male part 2 and the receptacle 3 are uncoupled. The auxiliary projection 9 is connected (typically integrally) to the front ends of the lower wall edges 27e, 27f of the aforementioned inclined walls 27a, 27b. Preferably, the auxiliary projection 9 can comprise two walls that extend beyond the front ends of the inclined walls 27a, 27b and end at a distance from them that is shorter than the guide projection 5, so that no peripheral wall is formed around the entirety of the through-hole h23.

[0028] In some cases, the length L9 of the auxiliary projection 9 may be equal to or less than half the length L5 of the guide projection 5; additionally or alternatively, the auxiliary projection 9 may terminate at a location between the actuated portions 31, 32 in the plug-in width direction. In a case where the guide projection 5 is divided as described above, the length L5 of the guide projection 5 may be defined between a front end of the frontmost island (the front portion when divided into halves) of the guide projection 5 and a rear end of the rearmost island (the rear portion when divided into halves) of the guide projection 5.

[0029] The auxiliary projection 9 may have a height which gradually decreases in its course towards the front end of the intermediate arm 23 (see Fig. 5), and an inclined surface(s) may be formed at the front end of the intermediate arm 23. The auxiliary projection 9 is formed as a pair of left and right walls extending forward on both sides of the through hole h23, but should not be limited to this shape, and it may be formed to fill the through hole as well as the guide projection 5. Note that the guide projection 5 has a width W5 sufficiently smaller than, for example, equal to or smaller than 1 / 2 of its length L5.

[0030] The receptacle 3 has a belt attachment portion 66 and a housing 6 that at least partially accommodates the arms 21, 22. The belt attachment portion 66 includes a rod extending in the width direction of the receptacle, as well as left and right walls that support the rod at its left and right ends. The housing 6 includes an upper plate 61, a lower plate 62, side plates 63, 64 that connect the upper and lower plates 61, 62, and rear walls 65m, 65n that connect the upper and lower plates 61, 62. The side plate 63 has a window 63j through which the actuated portion 32 can protrude laterally when the receptacle 3 and the male part 2 are coupled. The side plate 64 has a window 64j through which the actuated portion 31 can protrude laterally in the coupled state of the receptacle 3 and the plug-in part 2.The male part 2 can be released from the female part 3 by clamping the actuated portions 31 and 32, which project in opposite directions through the windows 63j and 64j, together in the direction of the center line BL of the clasp 1 (see . Fig. 2).

[0031] The upper plate 61 has an insertion passage 7 formed as a cutout of the housing (the upper plate 61) and into which the guide projection 5 enters. The insertion passage 7 is funnel-shaped with a width decreasing behind the receptacle and preferably includes a tapered passage 71 and a straight passage 72, as shown. Note that the insertion passage 7 has an open insertion end on the front side of the receptacle and a closed end on the back side of the receptacle. The open insertion end is arranged corresponding to a maximum width of the tapered passage 71. The insertion passage 7 is not formed over the entire length of the upper plate 61 between the front and rear edges, so that the upper plate 61 is not divided into left and right sections.The lower plate 62 is shaped mirror-symmetrically to the upper plate 61 with respect to a plane located at the center of the thickness of the receptacle 3, and thus has an insertion passage 7' (a lower insertion passage 7') as well as the insertion passage 7 (the upper insertion passage) of the upper plate 61 (see . Fig. 7). Therefore, the male part 2 is not prevented from being coupled to the receptacle 3 even if it is turned upside down and inserted into the receptacle 3. The insertion passage 7' has a contour that corresponds to or substantially corresponds to a contour of the insertion passage 7 on the upper side, viewed in the up-down direction, and includes a tapered passage 71' and a straight passage 72'.

[0032] When the male part 2 is coupled to the female part 3, the guide projection 5 enters the tapered passage 71 and then the straight passage 72. Even if the male part 2 is inserted obliquely instead of straight into the female part 3, the guide projection 5 is brought into contact with the inclined edge 71a, 71b of the tapered passage 71, so that the male part 2 is brought into a correct position. When the male part 2 and the female part 3 have been completely coupled, the guide projection 5 is brought into a state in which it is at least partially engaged with the straight passage 72 (in the shown case, substantially completely). In this case, the guide projection 5 is inserted between straight edges 72a, 72b of the straight passage 72, thereby improving the coupling between the male part 2 and the female part 3.

[0033] The tapered passage 71 has a width defined by its inclined edges 71a, 71b. The inclined edges 71a, 71b can each form an acute angle of 30° to 50° with respect to a line running parallel to the center line SL of the receptacle 3. The straight passage 72 has a width defined by the straight edges 72a, 72b. The straight edges 72a, 72b can each extend parallel to the center line SL of the receptacle 3. The width W72 between the straight edges 72a, 72b corresponds to the width W5 of the guide section 5 and is preferably slightly larger than this for the purpose of a clearance fit.

[0034] The upper plate 61 of the housing 6 has locking portions 81, 82 arranged on both sides of the center axis of the straight passage 72 (which coincides with the center line SL of the receptacle 3) to lock the locked portions 41, 42 (e.g., the locked projections 41a, 42a) respectively (see Fig. 7-11, especially see Fig. 9). The lower plate 62 of the housing 6 has locking portions 83, 84 arranged on both sides of the central axis of the straight passage 72 to lock the locked portions 41, 42 (e.g., the locked projections 41b, 42b) respectively (see Fig. 8 and Fig. 10). In the example shown, the locking portions 81 and 83 face each other, forming a gap between them into which the flat plate 21c of the arm 21 can be inserted. The locking portions 82 and 84 face each other, forming a gap between them into which the flat plate 22c of the arm 22 can be inserted. The gap between the locking portions 81 and 83 does not allow the locked portion 41 to be inserted therein, and likewise, the gap between the locking portions 82 and 84 does not allow the locked portion 42 to be inserted therein.

[0035] The locking sections 83, 84 are in a mirror-symmetrical relationship to the locking sections 81, 82, so that the following descriptions primarily discuss the locking sections 81, 82. Note that an embodiment is conceivable in which the locking sections 81, 83 remain and the locking sections 82, 84 are omitted.

[0036] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 9, the locking portion 81 has a locking surface 81a and a guide surface 81b. The locking portion 82 has a locking surface 82a and a guide surface 82b. The guide surfaces 81b, 82b converge rearwardly along the center line SL of the receptacle 3 (diverge forwardly) and can, for example, be a flat or curved surface. The locking surfaces 81a, 82a are arranged in a plane that crosses the center line SL of the receptacle 3 or runs perpendicular thereto. An angled edge having an obtuse angle can be formed between the guide surface 81b and the locking surface 81a. Likewise, an angled edge having an obtuse angle can be formed between the guide surface 82b and the locking surface 82a.The guide surfaces 81b and 82b may be formed symmetrically with respect to the center line SL of the receptacle 3, and the locking surfaces 81a and 82a may be formed symmetrically in a similar manner.

[0037] Between the locking portion 81 and the rear wall 65n of the housing 6, a receiving space 85n is formed, in which the upper locking projection 41a of the locked portion 41 is received. Between the locking portion 82 and the rear wall 65m of the housing 6, a receiving space 85m is formed, in which the upper locking projection 42a of the locked portion 42 is received. The left and right rear walls 65m, 65n of the housing 65 are arranged to define an opening therebetween, through which water or dust can be discharged to the outside and at the same time enable a reduced weight of the holder 3.

[0038] Furthermore, a receiving space is formed between the locking portion 83 and the rear wall 65n of the housing 6, in which the lower locking projection 41b of the locked portion 41 is received. A receiving space is formed between the locking portion 84 and the rear wall 65m of the housing 6, in which the lower locking projection 42b of the locked portion 42 is received. It is possible to form a through-hole (not shown) through the lower plate 62 of the housing 6 in an area corresponding to the receiving space behind the locking portion 83, 84, thereby simultaneously enabling drainage of water or dust and reducing the weight of the receptacle 3.

[0039] With particular reference to Fig. 7, the locking portion 82 has a wall surface 82k exposed (visible) through the window 64j, which is arranged slightly inward of the receptacle 3 relative to an outer surface 64m of the side plate 64. Between the wall surface 82k and the guide surface 82b, an edge 82p is formed, which is arranged slightly inward of the receptacle 3 relative to the outer surface 64m of the side plate 64. This allows the guide surface 82b to incline moderately over a longer distance, which enables a reduced impact force of the plug-in part 2 springing out of the receptacle 3. Note that the front end of the guide surface 82b corresponds to the edge 82p in the example shown, but it can also be arranged slightly behind the edge 82p.The inward direction of the receptacle refers to a direction directed from an outer point of the receptacle to an inner point of the receptacle, and the outward direction of the receptacle refers to a direction opposite to the above-mentioned inward direction.

[0040] The descriptions of the locking portion 82 also apply to other locking portions. For example, the locking portion 81 has a wall surface 81k and an edge 81p formed between the wall surface 81k and the guide surface 81b (see Fig. 11). The front end of the guide surface 81b corresponds to an edge 81p in the example shown, but it can also be arranged slightly behind the edge 81p. Other locking sections 83, 84 can be designed in a similar manner.

[0041] When the plug 2 is to be coupled to the receptacle 3, the arms 21, 22 are first inserted between the upper and lower plates 61 and 62 of the housing 6. In a case where the plug 2 is inserted obliquely into the receptacle 3, the guide projection 5 is brought into contact with the inclined edge of the tapered passage 71 and guided to reach the straight passage 72. Before the locked portions 41, 42 are brought into contact with the guide surfaces 81b and 82b, respectively, the front end portion (distal end portion) of the guide projection 5 is already engaged with the straight passage 72. This stabilizes the posture of the plug 2 relative to the receptacle 3 even while the arms 21, 22 are elastically deformed. As the plug-in part 2 continues to move forward, the arms 21, 22 are bent so that the locked portions 41, 42 approach each other in accordance with the guide surfaces 81b, 82b.The amount of bending may correspond to a force exerted by the receptacle 3 on the male part 2 when the male part 2 is released from the receptacle 3. As the male part 2 continues to move forward, the locked portion 41, 42 rides over the guide surface 81b, 82b, respectively, and the arms 21, 22 elastically return to their original shape. In this case, the locked portion 41, 42 may be arranged adjacent to and behind the locking portion 81, 82 (i.e., its locking surface 81a, 82a) and locked by the locking portion 81, 82.

[0042] In the present embodiment, the male part 2 springs out in a direction away from the female part 3 while the female part 3 and the male part 2 are uncoupled. In particular, the guide surfaces 81b, 82b are inclined to diverge along the central axis of the straight passage 72 toward the open insertion end of the insertion passage 7, so that the male part 2 springs out in a direction away from the female part 3 along the central axis of the straight passage 72 in accordance with a force exerted by the locked portions 41, 42 on the guide surfaces 81b, 82b, since the arms 21, 22 elastically return to their original shape while the male part 2 is detached from the female part 3 (see Fig. 12 and Fig. 13). The protrusion of the plug-in part 2 is enabled, which enables a smoother decoupling of the plug-in part 2 and the receptacle 3 and, in particular, a decoupling of the two parts with one hand is possible.

[0043] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the guide projection 5 and the straight passage 72 are kept in an engaged state throughout the period in which the locked portions 41, 42 slide on the guide surfaces 81b and 82b, respectively, while the arms 21, 22 elastically return to their original shape to cause the protrusion of the male part 2 from the female part 3 (see Fig. 14). This ensures a constant direction of protrusion of the insert part 2 and effectively prevents it from moving in an unintended direction (e.g. towards the face of a person wearing the garment with the clasp 1). Fig. 12, for example, prevents the insert part 2 from projecting obliquely upwards with respect to a horizontal direction along which the first and second straps are arranged (e.g. in the direction of the head of the person wearing the garment).

[0044] Fig. 14 shows a state in which the locked portion 42 is disposed adjacent to the front end portion of the guide surface 82b (the same applies to other locked portions such as the locked portion 41 and the like). In this situation, the front end of the guide projection 5 is held in engagement with the straight passage 72. This ensures a constant protrusion direction of the male part 2, as mentioned above, and enables controlled protrusion of the male part 2.

[0045] Instead of the above-mentioned feature "the guide projection 5 and the straight passage 72 are maintained in an engaged state throughout the period in which the locked portions 41, 42 slide on the guide surfaces 81b, 82b while the arms 21, 22 elastically return to their original shape to cause the protrusion of the plug 2 from the receptacle 3", one can also read the following feature, namely, "the engaged state between the guide projection 5 and the straight passage 72 is maintained at a time when the locked portions 41, 42 are respectively located adjacent to the front end portions of the guide surfaces 81b, 82b while the arms 21, 22 elastically return to their original shape to cause the protrusion of the plug 2 from the receptacle 3".

[0046] Fig. 15 shows that at the same time as in Fig. 14, the auxiliary projection 9 has already disengaged from the straight passage 72' on the opposite side. The auxiliary projection 9, like the guide projection, could be made longer to ensure that the direction of protrusion of the plug-in part 2 is constant; however, this could hinder easier insertion of the plug-in part 2 into the receptacle 3. Therefore, in order to balance the two objectives, it may be advantageous to make the auxiliary projection 9 shorter than the guide projection 5. Note that even an embodiment is conceivable in which the auxiliary projection 9 is omitted.

[0047] Fig. 16 and Fig. 17 are shown only as a guide. As in Fig. 16, the auxiliary projection 9 does not abut the inclined edge of the tapered passage 71' on the opposite side when the guide projection 5 abuts the inclined edge of the tapered passage 71.

[0048] As from Fig. As can be seen from Figure 18, the engaged state of the guide projection 5 and the straight passage 72 is advantageously maintained even at a time when the locked portions 41, 42 are located away from the guide surfaces 81b and 82b, respectively (in other words, the locked portions are spaced from the guide surfaces). This enables a further improvement in the straightness of the protruding movement of the plug-in part 2.

[0049] Based on the above disclosure, a person skilled in the art would be able to add various modifications to the respective embodiments and features. The reference numerals included in the claims are for guidance only and are not to be used for the purpose of a narrow interpretation of the claims. [Reference symbol] 1 clasp 2 insert part 3 Recording 5 Leading edge 6 housings 7 Introductory passage 7' Introductory passage 7' Introductory passage 9 Auxiliary projection 21, 22 (First and second) arm 23 Intermediate arm 31, 32 (First and second) operated sections 41, 42 (First and second) locked sections 71 Tapered Passage 72 Straight Passage 81, 82 (First and second) locking sections 81a, 82a (First and second) locking surfaces 81b, 82b (First and second) guide surfaces 83, 84 (Third and fourth) locking sections BL, PL, SL center line QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] JP 2024-38269

[0001] JP 4203461

[0003] WO 2013 / 121557

[0004]

Claims

[1] Clasp (1) comprising a male part (2) and a female part (3), the male part (2) comprising: a first arm (21) having a degree of elasticity that allows pivoting of the first arm (21) in a plug-in part width direction, the first arm (21) comprising a first operated portion (31) to be operated to allow pivoting of the first arm (21) and a first locked portion (41) disposed further on a distal end side of the first arm (21) than the first operated portion (31); a second arm (22) having a degree of elasticity that allows pivoting of the second arm (22) in the plug-in part width direction, the second arm (22) comprising a second actuated portion (32) to be actuated to allow pivoting of the second arm (22) and a second locked portion (42) disposed further on the side of a distal end of the second arm (22) than the second actuated portion (32); and an intermediate arm (23) arranged between the first and second arms (21, 22) in the plug-in part width direction and having a higher rigidity than the first and second arms (21, 22), the intermediate arm (23) comprising a guide projection (5) extending in the same direction as the intermediate arm (23); the recording (3) comprising: a housing (6) at least partially accommodating the first and second arms (21, 22), the housing (6) comprising an upper plate (61), a lower plate (62) and first and second side plates (63, 64) by which the upper plate (61) and the lower plate (62) are connected to one another, at least one of the upper plate (61) and the lower plate (62) has an insertion passage (7) which is formed as a cutout of the housing (6) and into which the guide projection (5) enters, the insertion passage (7) comprises a straight passage (72) with which the guide projection (5) is at least partially engaged at least when the plug-in part (2) and the receptacle (3) are fully coupled, characterized by , that: the housing (6) has a first and a second locking portion (81, 82) arranged on both sides of a central axis of the straight passage (72) to lock the first and the second locked portions (41, 42), respectively, wherein the first locking portion (81) comprises a first locking surface (81a) and a first guide surface (81b) and the second locking portion (82) comprises a second locking surface (82a) and a second guide surface (82b), the first and second guide surfaces (81b, 82b) are inclined so as to diverge along the central axis toward an open insertion end of the insertion passage (7) to allow the plug (2) to spring out along the central axis in a direction away from the receptacle (3) in accordance with a force exerted by the first and second locked portions (41, 42) on the first and second guide surfaces (81b, 82b), since the first and second arms (21, 22) elastically return to their original shape while the plug (2) is released from the receptacle (3), the guide projection (5) and the straight passage (72) are maintained in an engaged state throughout a period in which the first and second locked portions (41, 42) slide on the first and second guide surfaces (81b, 82b), respectively, while the first and second arms (21, 22) elastically return to their original shape to cause the male part (2) to spring out from the female part (3). [2] The clasp according to claim 1, wherein the upper plate (61) has an upper insertion passage (7) as the insertion passage (7), and the lower plate (62) has a lower insertion passage (7') having a contour that matches or substantially matches a contour of the upper insertion passage (7) when viewed in the up-down direction, and the intermediate arm (23) has an auxiliary projection (9) arranged on a side opposite to the guide projection (5) in the up-down direction and has a length (L9) shorter than a length (L5) of the guide projection (5). [3] Clasp according to claim 2, wherein the length (L9) of the auxiliary projection (9) is equal to or less than half the length (L5) of the guide projection (5). [4] A clasp according to claim 2, wherein the auxiliary projection (9) ends at a location between the first and second actuated portions (31, 32). [5] A clasp according to claim 2, wherein, while the male part (2) and the female part (3) are coupled, the guide projection (5) and the straight passage (72) are engaged with each other, whereupon the auxiliary projection (9) is engaged with a straight passage (72') of the lower straight passage (7'). [6] A clasp according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the auxiliary projection (9) has a height which gradually decreases as it extends toward a distal end of the intermediate arm (23). [7] A clasp according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the insertion passage (7) further comprises a tapered passage having a width that gradually decreases from the open insertion end of the insertion passage (7) toward the straight passage (72), the tapered passage having two inclined edges (71a, 71b) defining the width of the tapered passage, the two inclined edges (71a, 71b) each forming an acute angle of 30° to 50° with respect to a line parallel to the central axis. [8] A clasp according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first side plate has a first window allowing the first actuated portion to protrude laterally in a coupled state of the female and male parts, the second side plate has a second window which allows the second actuated portion to protrude laterally in the coupled state of the receptacle and the plug-in part, the first locking portion has a first wall surface exposed via the first window and disposed slightly inward of the receptacle relative to an outer surface of the first side plate, a first edge formed between the first wall surface and the first guide surface is arranged slightly inward of the receptacle relative to the outer surface of the first side plate, the second locking portion has a second wall surface exposed via the second window and disposed slightly inward of the receptacle relative to an outer surface of the second side plate, and a second edge formed between the second wall surface and the second guide surface is arranged slightly inward of the receptacle relative to the outer surface of the second side plate. [9] Garment comprising: the clasp (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5; a first strap attached to the insertion part (2); a second strap attached to the receptacle (3); and a first and a second portion of the garment connectable at least via the first strap, the second strap and the buckle, wherein the first and the second strap are oriented horizontally when the garment has been put on by a person and the plug-in part (2) and the receptacle (3) have been fully coupled. [10] A portable article comprising a clasp (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the male part (2) and the female part (3) can be coupled and uncoupled based on a one- or two-handed operation by a person wearing the portable article. [11] A wearable article according to claim 10, wherein the wearable article is a garment, a bag or a pouch.

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