CLOSURE

Abstract

Provided is a fastener 10 made of a synthetic resin, the fastener 10 integrally comprising: a base 12 having a band through-hole 18; a hook 46 in which a receiving space 16 having an opening 14 through which an article 58 can pass is formed; and an opening / closing body 26 rotatably supported on the base 12, the opening / closing body 26 opening the opening 14 when rotated in one direction and closing the opening 14 when rotated in the other direction. The opening / closing body 26 integrally includes a spring portion 22 constantly urging the opening / closing body 26 in a direction to close the opening 14. The spring portion 22 extends from a side edge portion 12c of the base 12, the spring portion 22 being continuous with the opening / closing body 26.The opening / closing body 26 is provided with a shaft portion 30 intersecting the direction in which the opening 14 is opened and closed. The base 12 is provided with a shaft hole 20 into which the shaft portion 30 is rotatably fitted. The base 12 is symmetrical on both sides with the center of the thickness of a plate-shaped body as the central axis, and the side edge portions 12a, 12c of the base 12 are provided with grooves 40 that receive at least a portion of the spring portion 22 along the approximate center line of the thickness.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELDThe present invention relates to a connector for connecting separate articles or parts together.PRIOR ARTIn the prior art, connectors for connecting an article pair have various shapes. For example, in Patent Literature 1, a hook includes an annular member having a substantially annular shape and a housing member into which the annular member is inserted. On the annular member, a lever portion of which a part is cut and which is capable of elastically vibrating is formed, and the object to be locked can be inserted into the inside through an opening and closing portion which opens and closes due to the elastic vibration of the lever portion. In a state where the annular member is inserted into the housing member, the housing member abuts against the lever portion to restrict the opening of the lever portion to the outside.REFERENCESPATENT LITERATUREPatent Literature 1: JP2009-2389ASUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONTECHNICAL PROBLEMThe connector in the above-described prior art includes two members, namely, the annular member and the housing member, and is expensive to manufacture. When a pair of articles are joined, one article is attached to the annular member and another article is attached to the housing member. Therefore, when strong forces are applied to the articles in directions in which the articles move away from each other, the annular member and the housing member may separate from each other. In addition, the locking portion to which the distal end of the lever portion is locked is not locked in the direction in which the stress is applied by the pair of articles. Therefore, the stress applied between the pair of articles may concentrate on one side of the annular member, and the annular member may be deformed or broken.The present invention has been made in view of the problems in the above-described prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a connector which is made of a single member to simplify the component assembly and reduce the manufacturing cost, and which has high strength for attaching an article.SOLUTION TO PROBLEMThe present invention provides a connector made of a synthetic resin integrally comprising a base having a band through hole, a hook configured to form a receiving space having an opening for passing an object, an opening and closing body rotatably supported on the base and configured to open the opening when rotated in one direction and close the opening when rotated in another direction, and a spring portion configured to continuously bias the opening and closing body in a direction in which the opening and closing body closes the opening, the spring portion extending from a side edge portion of the base and being continuous with the opening and closing body, the opening and closing body comprising a shaft portion, and the base having a shaft hole, into which the shaft portion is rotatably fitted.The base is a plate-shaped body, the band through hole and the accommodation space penetrate the plate-shaped body, and the base has a groove along the side edge portion of the base, and in a state where the shaft portion is fitted into the shaft hole, at least a portion of the spring portion is accommodated in the groove.One of the opening and closing body and the hook includes a hook portion, and another one of the hook and the opening and closing body includes a hook portion receiving portion, and the hook portion is inserted into the hook portion receiving portion in a state where the opening is closed by the opening and closing body.The band through hole is formed between the opening and the shaft hole, and a recess is formed in the opening and closing body, the recess overlapping the band through hole in a state in which the opening and closing body is rotated in a direction in which the opening is opened. The shaft hole is preferably formed at a position covered by a tape passed through the tape through hole.ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF THE INVENTIONThe connector according to the present invention has a simple component configuration and low manufacturing cost. The connector is of a slender appearance and small in size, but has a high strength for fastening an article. In addition, the opening operation of the opening and closing body is easy and the operability is good.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS[FIG. 1 ] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention.[FIG. 2 ] (a) is a left side view of the connector according to the embodiment, and (b) is a front view of the connector.[FIG. 3] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line A-A in (a) of FIG. 2, showing a state in which no force is applied to a spring portion of the connector according to the embodiment.[FIG. 4] FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along a line B-B in (a) of FIG. 2, in which the spring portion of the connector according to the embodiment is pressed and used.[FIG. 5 ] FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line B-B in (a) of FIG. 2, showing a state in which the opening of the connector according to the embodiment is open.[FIG. 6 ] FIG. 6 is a front view showing a modification of the connector according to the embodiment.[FIG. 7 ] FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view showing another modification of the connector according to the embodiment.DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTSHereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1 to 5 show an embodiment of the present invention, and a connector 10 according to the embodiment is integrally molded using an elastic resin.The connector 10 includes a plate-shaped base 12. the base 12 includes a pair of side edge portions 12 aand 12 bextending in the up-down direction and a pair of side edge portions 12 cand 12 dextending in the left-right direction and intersecting the side edge portions 12 aand 12 b. Both surfaces of the base 12 are symmetrical with respect to the center in the front-rear direction as a central axis. Hereinafter, a direction orthogonal to both surfaces of the plate-shaped body will be referred to as the front-rear direction. A direction along the pair of side edge portions 12 aand 12 bis referred to as the up-down direction. A direction along the pair of side edge portions 12 cand 12 dis referred to as the left-right direction. The pair of side edge portions 12 cand 12 dare substantially parallel to each other, and the side edge portion 12 dis longer than the side edge portion 12 c. The base 12 includes a plate surface portion 12 esurrounded by the side edge portions 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, and 12 d, and a thick portion 13 protruding along the side edge portions 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, and 12 din the front-rear direction. The thick portion 13 has a substantially constant width and is thicker than the plate surface portion 12 e.A receiving space 16 is formed in the plate surface portion 12 eto penetrate the plate surface portion 12 ein the front-rear direction. The accommodation space 16 has a trapezoidal shape in which a side disposed near the side edge portion 12 cis the upper side and a side disposed near the side edge portion 12 dis the lower side. The top side is shorter than the bottom side. One end portion of the upper surface reaches to the side edge portion 12 a, and another end portion of the upper surface is located near the center of the base 12 in the left-right direction. The oblique side connecting the end portion of the upper surface located near the center of the base 12 and the end portion of the lower surface on the side edge portion 12 bcrosses the upper surface at an obtuse angle and the lower surface at an acute angle. An opening 14 is cut out at the side edge portion 12 aand at the side opposite to the oblique side of the accommodation space 16. Accordingly, the accommodation space 16 and the outside of the side edge portion 12 acommunicate with each other. The end portion of the opening 14 on the side edge portion 12d side is located slightly away from the side edge portion 12d. That is, a portion of the side edge portion 12 athat is continuous with the side edge portion 12 dis not cut out. This portion serves as a distal end portion 46 bof a hook 46 described later.The base 12 has a tape through hole 18 extending substantially parallel to the side edge portion 12c between the top of the accommodation space 16 and the side edge portion 12c. Between the tape through hole 18 and the side edge portion 12c, i.e., on the side opposite to the accommodation space 16 above the tape through hole 18 and at a position near the side edge portion 12a, a shaft hole 20 is formed. A shaft portion 30 described later is rotatably fitted into the shaft hole 20. The band through hole 18 and the shaft hole 20 penetrate the plate surface portion 12 ein the front-rear direction.A spring portion 22 is integrally and continuously provided with the base 12. The spring portion 22 is a long rod-shaped body, and an end portion of the spring portion 22 in the longitudinal direction is connected to the base 12. The spring portion 22 is elastically deformable in a direction intersecting the front-rear direction of the base 12 when a force equal to or greater than a certain value is applied thereto.As shown in FIG. 3, the spring portion 22 includes a first portion 22 athat is longitudinally located in the intermediate portion, a second portion 22 bthat is continuous from one end portion of the first portion 22 aand bent toward the first portion 22 a, and a third portion 22 cthat is continuous from another end portion of the first portion 22 aand bent toward the first portion 22 a. The second portion 22 bis continuous with the base 12 on the side edge portion 12 cside, and the base 12 has a space 24 recessed in the up-down direction on the side edge portion 12 cside. The second portion 22 bis provided in the space 24. The second portion 22b can be freely deformed in the space 24. The first portion 22a extends toward the side edge portion 12a while being inclined in a direction away from the side edge portion 12c. The third portion 22 cis provided at a predetermined distance from the side edge portion 12 c. The boundary between the first portion 22 aand the second portion 22 band the boundary between the first portion 22 aand the third portion 22 care curved. In a state where no force is applied, the spring portion 22 has a shape extending outward from the side edge portion 12 c, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.An opening and closing body 26 that opens and closes the opening 14 is integrally connected to the end portion of the third portion 22 cof the spring portion 22. The opening and closing body 26 is a rod-shaped body that is elongated in the extending direction of the third portion 22 c. The opening and closing body 26 includes a base end portion 26 athat is continuous with the third portion 22 cof the spring portion 22, and a distal end portion 26 dlocated longitudinally on the opposite side of the opening and closing body 26 with respect to the base end portion 26 a. The opening and closing body 26 has an outer side surface 26 c, which is flush with the third portion 22 cof the spring portion 22 and extends in the longitudinal direction of the opening and closing body 26, and an inner side surface 26 b, which is located on the side opposite to the outer side surface 26 c.The opening and closing body 26 has a length capable of closing the opening 14. A region on the base end portion 26 aside from the intermediate portion of the opening and closing body 26 in the longitudinal direction is thinner than the thickness of the thick portion 13 of the base 12. The outer side surface 26 cside portion is thicker than the inner side surface 26 bside portion and has substantially the same thickness as the thick portion 13 of the base 12. The dimension in the width direction orthogonal to the length direction and the thickness direction of the opening and closing body 26, i.e., the distance between the inner side surface 26 band the outer side surface 26 cis larger than the dimension in the direction orthogonal to the length direction and the thickness direction of the third portion 22 c. Accordingly, a portion of the opening and closing body 26 on the inner side surface 26 bside protrudes into the third portion 22 c. A part of the portion on the inner side surface 26 bside that is continuous with the distal end portion 26 dprotrudes further inward. The thickness direction of the opening and closing body 26 is the same direction as the front-rear direction of the base 12.The opening and closing body 26 includes the shaft portion 30 at the base end portion 26 a. The shaft portion 30 has a cylindrical shape having a central axis parallel to the thickness direction of the base 12 and protrudes from the opening and closing body 26 in the thickness direction. The shaft portion 30 is rotatably fitted into the shaft hole 20 of the base 12.The opening and closing body 26 has a recess 32 communicating with the tape through hole 18 at the base end portion 26 a. The recess 32 has a U-shape that opens toward the inner side surface 26 b. The recess 32 is formed in a shape substantially matching the hole edge of the band through hole 18 or larger than the hole edge of the band through hole 18 when the opening and closing body 26 rotates in the direction in which the opening 14 is opened. Accordingly, the opening and closing body 26 and the band through hole 18 overlap each other, and a part of the band through hole 18 is prevented from being blocked by the opening and closing body 26.The opening and closing body 26 has locking recesses 34 at the distal end portion 26 d, the thickness of which is reduced in the thickness direction. The two locking recesses 34 are symmetrically arranged in the thickness direction of the opening and closing body 26. The locking recess 34 is cut out to open to the outer side surface 26 c. The uncut portion between the locking recess 34 and the inner side surface 26 bbecomes a stopper portion 36 that can abut on an engagement claw 48 described later from the accommodation space 16 side when the opening and closing body 26 closes the opening 14. The opening and closing body 26 includes a hook portion 38 provided adjacent to the locking recess 34. The hook portion 38 is connected to the stopper portion 36 and extends toward the outer side surface 26 c.The base 12 has a groove 40 substantially along the center line of the thickness of the base 12 at a portion where the side edge portion 12 aand the side edge portion 12 ccross, and between a position where the tongue portion 22 is connected to the base 12 and the opening 14. Accordingly, the groove 40 forms an L-shaped space. The groove 40 also communicates with the shaft hole 20, the side edge portion 12 a, the side portion of the tape through hole 18, and the accommodation space 16. The groove 40 has a pair of inner side surfaces 40 athat are substantially parallel to the plate surface portion 12 e. The inner side surfaces 40 aincludes step portions 42 that protrude in the front-rear direction around the shaft hole 20. The inner side surfaces 40 aincludes inclined surfaces 44 inclined in directions away from the shaft hole 20 toward the side edge portion 12 a. The step portion 42 and the inclined surface 44 serve as guides for guiding the shaft portion 30 into the shaft hole 20 when the shaft portion 30 of the opening and closing body 26 is fitted into the shaft hole 20 of the base 12.The base 12 includes the hook 46 forming the accommodation space 16 at the side edge portion 12 dand at the side edge portion 12 acontiguous with the side edge portion 12 d. The hook 46 is an L-shaped rod. The hook 46 includes a base end portion 46 athat is one end portion in the longitudinal direction and a distal end portion 46 bthat is opposed to the one end portion. The base end portion 46 ais connected to the end portion of the side edge portion 12 b. The distal end portion 46 bis located on the side of the opening 14, and the engagement claw 48 is provided. A pair of engaging claws 48 are provided at a distance in the front-rear direction of the base 12. A space between the engaging claws 48 serves as a hook portion accommodating portion 50 in which the hook portion 38 of the opening and closing body 26 is accommodated and positioned. The engaging claws 48 have, on their surfaces facing each other, protruding portions 52 which protrude into the hook receiving portion 50. The opening and closing body 26 may include a hook receiving portion, and the hook 46 may include a hook portion.The connector 10 according to the embodiment is integrally molded using a synthetic resin having appropriate elasticity. In the molded state, the spring portion 22 and the opening and closing body 26 protrude laterally from the base 12 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. In use of the connector 10, the spring portion 22 is urged along the side edge portion 12 aand the side edge portion 12 cof the base 12. Accordingly, the tongue portion 22 is received in the groove 40 while being elastically deformed to reduce the intersecting angle between the first portion 22 aand the second portion 22 band the intersecting angle between the first portion 22 aand the third portion 22 c. Then, the shaft portion 30 moves along the inclined surface 44 and the step portion 42.Next, the distal end portion 26 dof the opening and closing body 26 is pressed in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction so as not to collide with the engagement claw 48 of the base 12, and the spring portion 22 is elastically deformed. At this time, the spring portion 22 is elastically deformed in the front-rear direction and is elastically deformed to reduce the intersection angle between the first portion 22 aand the second portion 22 bof the spring portion 22 and the intersection angle between the first portion 22 aand the third portion 22 c. Accordingly, the distal end portion 26 dbears the engagement claw 48 and enters the accommodation space 16. Then, when the pressing in the left-right direction is released after the pressing in the front-rear direction is released, the opening and closing body 26 rotates around the shaft portion 30 by the elastic force of the spring portion 22. Then, the stopper portion 36 comes into contact with the engagement claw 48.At this time, since the protruding portions 52 of the pair of engaging claws 48 are disposed in the locking recesses 34 and the hook portions 38 are disposed in the hook portion receiving portion 50, the opening and closing body 26 is positioned in the front-rear direction of the base 12. Since the stopper portion 36 is in contact with the engagement claw 48, the opening and closing body 26 is not displaced in the left-right direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction of the base. Since the shaft portion 30 is fitted into the shaft hole 20, the opening and closing body 26 does not move in the up-down direction of the base 12.Accordingly, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the opening and closing body 26 is positioned in the opening 14 of the base 12 and closes the opening 14. The spring portion 22 serves to increase the angle of intersection between the first portion 22 aand the second portion 22 band the angle of intersection between the first portion 22 aand the third portion 22 c. The elastic force caused by this action causes the distal end portion 26 dside of the opening and closing body 26 to rotate about the axis of the shaft portion 30. Accordingly, the stopper portion 36 is constantly pressed against the engagement claw 48. Therefore, the opening and closing body 26 does not accidentally disengage from the hook 46.Next, a method of using the connector 10 will be described. First, a tape 56 is passed through the tape through hole 18. The tape 56 is folded back and the folded-back portion is sewn or fastened by any fastening means (not shown). The tape 56 passed through the tape through hole 18 extends beyond the side edge portion 12 aof the base 12 in the up-down direction. Therefore, when the band 56 has a predetermined dimension in the left-right direction, the band 56 can cover the shaft hole 20 formed between the band through hole 18 and the side edge portion 12 cand the space 24 recessed on the side edge portion 12 cside from the up-down direction. Accordingly, the shaft hole 20 and the space 24 are not visually recognizable when the connector 10 is used, and the appearance of the connector 10 can be improved when the connector 10 is used.Next, an article 58 is hung on the hook 46. The article 58 is, for example, a loop in which a tape is folded back and fastened, or a hook in the same shape as the hook 46. First, as shown in FIG. 5, the opening and closing body 26 is pressed toward the inside of the accommodating space 16. Accordingly, the opening and closing body 26 rotates in one direction around the shaft portion 30 while elastically deforming the spring portion 22. The hook portion 38 is removed from the hook portion receiving portion 50. As a result, the opening and closing body 26 opens the opening 14, and the article 58 is passed through the opening 14 and hung on the hook 46. When the pressing force decreases, the opening and closing body 26 rotates around the shaft portion 30 in another direction opposite to the one direction by the elastic force of the spring portion 22, and thereby the opening and closing body 26 closes the opening 14, Since the opening and closing body 26 is constantly biased toward the engagement claw 48 by the spring portion 22, the opening 14 is not opened accidentally. In addition, since the protruding portion 52 of the engagement claw 48 is located in the locking recess 34 of the opening and closing body 26 and the hook portion 38 is inserted into the hook portion receiving portion 50, the opening and closing body 26 is locked to the hook 46 in the front-rear direction and in the top-bottom direction of the base 12. Accordingly, the opening and closing body 26 does not accidentally disengage from the hook 46.As shown in FIG. 5, in the opening and closing body 26, in a state where the opening 14 is opened by the opening and closing body 26, the recess 32 and the hole edge of the tape through hole 18 coincide with each other. Accordingly, the opening and closing body 26 does not overlap with the tape through hole 18 and does not press and slide the tape 56 passed through the tape through hole 18.When a strong force is applied to the article 58 suspended from the hook 46, the distal end portion 46 bof the hook 46 is elastically deformed in a direction away from the distal end portion 26 dof the opening and closing body 26. At this time, since the hook portion 38 is inserted into the hook portion receiving portion 50, it is possible to secure a large engagement area between the hook portion 38 and the hook portion receiving portion 50. Therefore, the opening and closing body 26 and the hook 46 are firmly connected to each other against the force acting in the up-down direction of the base 12.The position at which the spring portion 22 is continuous with the base 12 may be different from that in the above embodiment. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the second portion 22 bof the spring portion 22 may be connected to a boundary portion between the side edge portion 12 band the side edge portion 12 cof the base 12. The base 12 has the space 24 recessed at the boundary between the side edge portion 12 band the side edge portion 12 c. The second portion 22 bis provided in the space 24. The first portion 22a of the spring portion 22 has substantially the same length as the side edge portion 12c of the base 12.The distal end portion 26 dof the opening and closing body 26 may have a simple shape abutting only the distal end portion 46 bof the hook 46. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the opening and closing body 26 may not include the locking recess 34, the stopper portion 36, and the hook portion 38 as in the above embodiment. Instead, the opening and closing body 26 has a locking recess 60 on the outer side surface 26 con the distal end portion 26 dside. The engagement claw 48 of the hook 46 does not include the hook portion receiving portion 50 and the protruding portion 52 as in the above embodiment. Instead, the locking claw 48 has a locking recess 62 in a portion facing the opening and closing body 26. When the opening and closing body 26 closes the opening 14, the locking recess 60 and the locking recess 62 abut each other.The connector according to the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. The shape of the base may be a polygon other than a rectangle, an ellipse, or the like, and may be freely changed. The spring portion may also be changed to conform to the shape of the base. The article to be joined may have a shape other than a loop or hook into which the tape is folded back. The kind, color, surface treatment, transparency, and the like of the synthetic resin used as the material for the connector can be freely changed, and can be changed according to the design and required functions.REFERENCE CHARACTER LIST

[0036] 10 Connector 12 Base 12 cSide edge portion 14 Opening 16 Accommodation space 18 Tape through hole 20 Shaft hole 22 Spring portion 26 Opening and closing body 26 aBase end portion 26 b Innere side surface 26 d Distale end portion 30 Shaft portion 32 Recess 38 Hook portion 40 Groove 46 Hook 46 b Distale end portion 50 Hook portion accommodation portion 52 Protruding portion 56 Tape 58 ArticleReferences included in the specificationThis list of documents cited by the applicant has been produced in an automated manner and is only included for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent application or utility model application. The DPMA does not take any adhesion for any faults or omissions.Patent Literature citedJP 2009-2389A

[0003]

Claims

A synthetic resin connector (10) integrally comprising a base (12) having a tape through hole (18), a hook (46) configured to form a receiving space (16) having an opening (14) for passing an article (58) therethrough, an opening and closing body (26) rotatably supported on the base (12) and configured to open the opening (14) when rotated in one direction and to close the opening (14) when rotated in another direction, and a spring portion (22) configured to constantly bias the opening and closing body (26) in a direction in which the opening and closing body (26) closes the opening (14), wherein the spring portion (22) extends from the base (12) and is continuous with the opening and closing body (26), wherein the opening and closing body (26) includes a shaft portion (30), and wherein the base (12) has a shaft hole (20) into which the shaft portion (30) is rotatably fittable.The connector according to claim 1, wherein the base (12) is a plate-shaped body, the band through hole (18) and the accommodation space (16) penetrate the plate-shaped body, and wherein the base (12) has a groove (40) along a side edge portion (12a, 12c), and in a state where the shaft portion (30) is fitted into the shaft hole (20), at least a part of the spring portion (22) is accommodated in the groove (40).The connector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein one of the opening and closing body (26) and the hook (46) comprises a hook portion (38), and the hook (46) or the opening and closing body (26) comprises a hook portion receiving portion (50), and wherein the hook portion (38) is inserted into the hook portion receiving portion (50) in a state where the opening (14) is closed by the opening and closing body (26).The connector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the band through hole (18) is formed between the opening (14) and the shaft hole (20), and a recess (32) is formed in the opening and closing body (26), the recess (32) overlapping the band through hole (18) in a state in which the opening and closing body (26) is rotated in a direction in which the opening (14) is opened.The connector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the shaft hole (20) is formed at a position covered by a band (56) passed through the band through hole (18).

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