buckle

Abstract

This buckle effectively prevents accidental operation by children and infants, providing improved safety compared to conventional designs. [Solution] The buckle according to this disclosure comprises first and second buckle parts, each having a first and second engaging part; a first unlocking part having a first operating part and switching between an engaged state and an unlockable state of the first and second engaging parts; and a second unlocking part having a second operating part and switching between an inoperable state and an operable state thereof. When the second operating part is in the fourth position, the first operating part is held in the second position and becomes inoperable, and the engaged state of the first and second engaging parts is maintained. When the second operating part is in the third position, the first operating part becomes operable to move to the first position, and when the first operating part moves to the first position, the engaged state of the first and second engaging parts is released.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a buckle, and particularly to a buckle having a locking mechanism with excellent safety performance.

Background Art

[0002] As a buckle assembly used for a child seat or a baby carrier (such as a harness), for example, Patent Document 1 proposes a male buckle part having a first magnetic component and provided with a first locking portion, a female buckle part having a second magnetic component and provided with a second locking portion, and a magnetic buckle assembly including an operating component. In this magnetic buckle assembly, in a state where the first locking portion and the second locking portion are engaged with each other, the first magnetic component and the second magnetic component are coupled by magnetic force, so that the male buckle part and the female buckle part are locked (fixed). Further, when the user operates (presses down, etc.) the operating component, the engagement between the first locking portion and the second locking portion is released, and by separating the first magnetic component and the second magnetic component, the lock between the male buckle part and the female buckle part is released.

[0003] Furthermore, in an embodiment of the magnetic buckle assembly (the fourth embodiment shown in FIGS. 14 to 22 of Patent Document 1), a protection assembly for suppressing the operation of the operating component is additionally provided, and a protection component is arranged so as to cover the operating component on the female buckle part side. With such a configuration, the user can operate the operating component by sliding the protection component to expose the operating component. Therefore, since the operating component cannot be operated unless after operating the protection component, it is possible to prevent the lock between the male buckle part and the female buckle part from being inadvertently released due to an accidental operation of the operating component.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

[0005] As described above, the conventional buckle assembly prevents accidental operation of the operating part through a locking mechanism that has two parts: a protective part and an operating part. However, from another perspective, such a configuration allows the operating part to be operated by a simple operation and structure that involves sliding the protective part. Therefore, there is a risk that even children and infants may easily become accustomed to operating such a protective part, and thus accidentally release the lock between the male and female buckle parts.

[0006] Therefore, this disclosure is made in view of these circumstances, and aims to provide a buckle that can effectively prevent accidental operation by children and infants, and that offers improved safety compared to conventional buckles. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] [1] To achieve the above objective, the buckle according to the present disclosure comprises a first buckle portion having a first locking portion, a second buckle portion having a second locking portion that engages with the first locking portion, a first unlocking portion configured to switch between an engaged state and an unlockable state between the first locking portion and the second locking portion, and a second unlocking portion configured to switch between an inoperable state and an operable state of the first unlocking portion. The first unlocking portion also has a first operating portion that is movable between a first position and a second position and biased toward the second position from the first position, and a first contact portion provided on the first position side of the first operating portion. Furthermore, the second unlocking portion has a second operating portion that is movable between a third position and a fourth position and biased toward the fourth position from the third position, and a second contact portion provided on the third position side of the second operating portion. In addition, the first operating portion and the second operating portion are provided in different positions.

[0008] When the second operating part is in the fourth position, the first and second contact parts interfere with each other, holding the first operating part in the second position and rendering it inoperable, while the engagement between the first and second locking parts is maintained. When the second operating part is in the third position, the first and second contact parts do not interfere with each other, making the first operating part operable to move to the first position, and when the first operating part moves to that first position, the engagement between the first and second locking parts is released.

[0009] In this configuration, the first buckle portion and the second buckle portion are locked together by the engagement of the first locking portion and the second locking portion. At this time, if the second operating portion is biased to the fourth position, the first contact portion and the second contact portion interfere with each other, rendering the first operating portion inoperable. As a result, the engagement between the first locking portion and the second locking portion is maintained, and the lock between the first buckle portion and the second buckle portion is also maintained (not released). On the other hand, if the second operating portion is displaced from the fourth position to the third position against the biasing force, the first contact portion and the second contact portion no longer interfere with each other, and the first operating portion becomes operable. Therefore, while maintaining this state, if the first operating portion is displaced from the second position to the first position against the biasing force, the engagement between the first locking portion and the second locking portion is released, and the lock between the first buckle portion and the second buckle portion can be released. Thus, in order to unlock the first buckle and the second buckle, it is necessary to simultaneously operate both the first and second operating parts, which are located in different positions, against the biasing force. Therefore, the unlocking operation of the first and second buckles can be made more complex without increasing the number of parts compared to conventional designs.

[0010] [2] In the above configuration, the first buckle portion has a first magnetic material provided on the first locking portion, and the second buckle portion has a second magnetic material provided on the second locking portion so as to attract the first magnetic material, and the first magnetic material and the second magnetic material may be positioned opposite each other when the second operating portion is in the fourth position. In this way, not only are the first and second locking portions engaged, but the magnetic force between the first and second magnetic materials also allows for quick and secure locking of the first and second buckle portions. Furthermore, even if the engagement between the first and second locking portions is released by operating the second operating portion, the lock between the first and second buckle portions will not be accidentally released unless the first and second magnetic materials are pulled apart against the magnetic force.

[0011] [3] In this configuration, when the second operating part is in the third position, the first magnetic material and the second magnetic material may be positioned at a relative shift from their opposing positions (for example, displaced toward the third position together with the second operating part). In this case, the attractive force between the first magnetic material and the second magnetic material is weakened by the shift in their relative positional relationship. Therefore, when the engagement between the first locking part and the second locking part is released, the magnetic coupling between the first magnetic material and the second magnetic material is also easily released at the same time, so the lock between the first buckle part and the second buckle part can also be easily released. Note that "opposing positions" refers to the position where the magnetic coupling (fixing) of the first magnetic material and the second magnetic material is stable, and "a shift in their relative positional relationship" means a slight shift from the position where the coupling is stable.

[0012] [4] Specifically, the device may be configured such that one first operating part and two second operating parts are arranged in a triangular shape, that is, at the vertices of a triangle. In such a configuration, all three operating parts can be easily pressed down at once by bending the fingers of one hand and gripping the device. While such one-handed operation is relatively easy for adults, it tends to be difficult for children and toddlers due to the size and strength of their hands.

[0013] [5] Alternatively, the first operating section may be biased by a first elastic body, and the second operating section may be biased by a second elastic body. This makes it easier to arrange the first operating section in a triangular shape, sandwiching it between the two second operating sections, and further improves the operability of the first and second operating sections.

[0014] [6] More specifically, the first locking portion may have a leg portion biased from the fifth position toward the sixth position, and the second locking portion may have a protrusion having an annular groove, and when the first locking portion and the second locking portion engage, the leg portion moves from the sixth position toward the fifth position by the protrusion, and then returns to the sixth position to fit into the annular groove. In this way, the first locking portion and the second locking portion can be engaged quickly and reliably, thereby increasing user convenience. Furthermore, in such an engaged state, the leg portion can be slid around the annular groove, allowing the first buckle portion and the second buckle portion to rotate relative to each other, thereby increasing the degree of freedom (tolerance) of movement of both.

[0015] [7] In this case, the first locking part may be configured to move from the sixth position to the fifth position when the first operating part moves from the second position to the first position. In this way, when the first operating part is displaced to the first position, the legs of the first locking part move away from the annular groove of the second locking part, making it easier to release the engagement between the first buckle part and the second buckle part. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] The buckle according to this disclosure, having the above configuration, can effectively prevent accidental operation by children and infants, and can further improve safety compared to conventional buckles. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a buckle according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the buckle. [Figure 3](A) to (D) are perspective cross-sectional views when looking at an example of the procedure for performing the locking operation of the buckle portion from slightly above and from the rear toward the front. [Figure 4] It is a top view showing a part of the main portion of the buckle portion in the locked state shown in Fig. 3(D) in a partially transparent manner. [Figure 5] (A) to (C) are top views showing a part of the main portion of the buckle portion in a partially transparent manner in an example of the procedure for performing the unlocking operation of the buckle portion. [Figure 6] (A) and (B) are top views mainly showing the main unlocking portion of the buckle portion in the states shown in Figs. 5(B) and (C), respectively. [Figure 7] (A) and (B) are perspective views from the right showing mainly the main unlocking portion of the buckle portion in the states shown in Figs. 5(B) and 5(C), respectively.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0018] Hereinafter, this embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. For ease of understanding the description, the same reference numerals are given to the same components in each drawing as much as possible, and duplicate descriptions are omitted. Note that the following embodiments are examples for explaining the present disclosure, and the present disclosure is not intended to be limited only to those embodiments. Further, the present disclosure can be variously modified without departing from its gist. Furthermore, those skilled in the art can adopt embodiments in which each element described below is replaced with an equivalent one, and such embodiments are also included in the scope of the present disclosure.

[0019] [Configuration of Buckle 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a buckle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the buckle 1 shown in FIG. 1. For the sake of explaining the relative direction relationship, for convenience, in the coordinate axes shown in FIG. 1, the upper left diagonal direction is called the rightward X1, the opposite direction is called the leftward X2, and both directions may be collectively referred to as the left-right direction X. Also, in the coordinate axes shown in FIG. 1, the lower left diagonal direction is called the frontward Y1, the opposite direction is called the rearward Y2, and both directions may be collectively referred to as the front-rear direction Y. Furthermore, in the coordinate axes shown in FIG. 1, the upward direction is called the upward Z1, the opposite direction is called the downward Z2, and both directions may be collectively referred to as the up-down direction Z. In addition, the top view (bottom view) refers to the viewpoint when the buckle 1 is viewed from the position of the upward Z1 (downward Z2) toward the downward Z2 (upward Z1), and the right side view (left side view) refers to the viewpoint when the buckle 1 is viewed from the rightward X1 toward the leftward X2 (from the leftward X2 toward the rightward X1).

[0020] As shown in FIG. 1, the buckle 1 includes a buckle portion 100 (corresponding to an example of the "first buckle portion" in the present disclosure) having a belt attachment portion B1 to which a predetermined belt member is attached, and a buckle portion 200 (corresponding to an example of the "second buckle portion" in the present disclosure) having a belt attachment portion B2 to which a predetermined belt member is attached.

[0021] [Buckle portion 100] As shown in FIG. 2, the buckle portion 100 is mainly composed of an upper case portion 110, a child lock release portion 120, a main lock release portion 130, and a lower case portion 140.

[0022] The upper case portion 110 has a housing 11 that covers the upper surface of the buckle portion 100, and a recess 13 is formed between the front corners 12R, 12L of the housing 11 at Y1. Furthermore, recesses 15R, 15L are formed between these corners 12R, 12L and the rear corners 14R, 14L of the housing 11 at Y2, respectively. The child lock release portion 120 (corresponding to an example of the "second lock release portion" in this disclosure) has a housing 21 that is roughly U-shaped when viewed from above, and child lock release buttons 23R, 23L (corresponding to an example of the "second operation portion" in this disclosure) are provided at the front corners Y1 of the housing 21, each having a plurality of convex anti-slip surfaces 22R, 22L. Furthermore, the cantilevered beam portions 24R and 24L that constitute the side walls of the housing 21 hold the child lock release buttons 23R and 23L in a position where they can be pressed against the inside of the housing 21 by their own deflection. In this way, the beam portions 24R and 24L function as leaf springs (corresponding to an example of the "second elastic body" in this disclosure) that bias the child lock release buttons 23R and 23L. An opening 25 is defined between these beam portions 24R and 24L.

[0023] Furthermore, the main lock release unit 130 (corresponding to an example of the "first lock release unit" in this disclosure) comprises a main body 31, a main lock release button 32 (corresponding to an example of the "first operation unit" in this disclosure) provided on its front Y1, and legs 33R, 33L (corresponding to examples of the "legs" and "first locking unit" in this disclosure) provided on the sides of the main body 31. In addition, a recess 34 is formed on the upper part of the main body 31, which opens upward Z1 and into which a magnet M1 (corresponding to an example of the "first magnetic material" in this disclosure) is fitted.

[0024] Furthermore, the lower case portion 140 has a housing 41 that covers the lower surface of the buckle portion 100, and a recess 43 is formed between the front corners 42R, 42L of the housing 41 at Y1. Also, recesses 45R, 45L and recesses 46R, 46L are formed between those corners 42R, 42L and the rear corners 44R, 44L of the housing 41 at Y2, respectively. In addition, an opening 47 is formed in the central part of the housing 41 into which the protrusion 52 of the finial portion 250 (corresponding to an example of the "protrusion" and "second locking portion" in this disclosure) described later is fitted.

[0025] These components are stacked so that the child lock release section 120 and the main lock release section 130 are sandwiched between the upper case section 110 and the lower case section 140, and the buckle section 100 is assembled. At this time, the upper case section 110 is fitted into the lower case section 140, and as shown in Figure 1, the corners 12R and 12L abut against the corners 42R and 42L, and the corners 14R and 14L abut against the recesses 46R and 46L. In addition, the child lock release buttons 23R and 23L of the child lock release section 120 protrude in the left-right direction X from the opening defined by the recesses 15R and 15L and the recesses 45R and 45L, and the main lock release button 32 protrudes forward Y1 from the opening defined by the recesses 13 and 43. As a result, as shown in Figure 1, one main unlock button 32 and two child unlock buttons 23R and 23L are arranged so that they are located at the vertices of a triangle (in a triangular shape).

[0026] [Buckle part 200] The buckle portion 200 mainly consists of a finial portion 250 and a magnet fixing portion 260. The finial portion 250 has a housing 51 on which a belt attachment portion is provided, and a finial-shaped protrusion 52 projecting upward Z1 from the center of its upper surface. The side wall of this protrusion 52 is provided with an annular groove 52g (corresponding to an example of an annular groove in this disclosure) into which the legs 33R, 33L of the main lock release portion 130 engage. The magnet fixing portion 260 is for fixing a magnet M2 (corresponding to an example of a second magnetic material in this disclosure) fitted inside the protrusion 52, and projections 62, 62 for securing the magnet M2 are provided on the upper surface of the seat 61.

[0027] [Locking operation of buckle parts 100 and 200] Figures 3(A) to (D) are perspective cross-sectional views taken from a slightly upward Z1 position, looking from the rear Y2 toward the front Y1, illustrating an example of the procedure for locking the buckle parts 100 and 200. They show the state when the finial part 250 on the buckle part 200 is engaged with the main lock release part 130 on the buckle part 100 (illustrations of other components are omitted). Note that the child lock release part 120 does not operate (is not involved) in this locking operation.

[0028] First, Figure 3(A) shows the convex portion 52 of the finial portion 250 fitted into the opening 47 of the lower case portion 140 (not shown), and further, the upper part of the convex portion 52 in contact with the inner lower part of the legs 33R and 33L of the main lock release portion 130 (the contact area T is shown by a dashed line; the same applies hereafter). At this time, the main lock release button 32 is biased toward the front Y1 (from position P1 shown in Figure 5(C) later to position P2 shown in Figure 5(A)) by a coil spring 35 connected to the main body 31 (see Figure 2: corresponding to an example of the "first elastic body" in this disclosure), and is positioned at position P2 in the initial state (pre-lock state) and the locked state. Thus, positions P1 and P2 correspond to examples of the "first position" and "second position" in this disclosure, respectively.

[0029] Furthermore, the leg portion 33R of the main lock release portion 130 is biased toward the left X2 (from position P5 shown in Figure 3(C) to position P6 shown in Figure 3(A)) by a cantilevered beam portion 36R that functions as a leaf spring connected to the main body 31, and is positioned at position P6 in the initial state (pre-lock state). Similarly, the leg portion 33L is biased toward the right X1 (likewise from position P5 to position P6) by a beam portion 36L that functions as a leaf spring connected to the main body 31, and is positioned at position P6 in the initial state (pre-lock state). Thus, positions P5 and P6 correspond to examples of the "fifth position" and "sixth position" in this disclosure, respectively. In addition, a space V is defined between the upper surface of the convex portion 52 of the finial portion 250 and the lower surface of the concave portion 34 of the main lock release portion 130.

[0030] Next, from the state shown in Figure 3(A), when the finial portion 250 is moved upward Z1 and the protrusion 52 is pushed toward the space V, the legs 33R and 33L are displaced to open toward the right X1 and left X2 respectively, against the biasing force of the beam portions 36R and 36L, and after passing through the state shown in Figure 3(B), the state shown in Figure 3(C) occurs. At this time, the side wall of the protrusion 52 comes into contact with the inner wall of the legs 33R and 33L, the legs 33R and 33L are positioned at position P5 as shown in the figure, and the upper surface of the protrusion 52 and the lower surface of the recess 34 come into close proximity, narrowing the space V.

[0031] Next, from the state shown in Figure 3(C), when the finial portion 250 is moved further upward Z1 and the protrusion 52 is pushed toward space V, when the upper wall surface of the annular groove 52g of the protrusion 52 exceeds the upper surface of the leg portions 33R and 33L, the leg portions 33R and 33L are displaced to close toward the left X2 and right X1, respectively, by the biasing force of the beam portions 36R and 36L. As a result, the inner wall portions of the leg portions 33R and 33L are fitted into the annular groove 52g, the leg portions 33R and 33L and the protrusion 52 engage, and the buckle portions 100 and 200 are locked. In addition, the upper surface of the protrusion 52 of the finial portion 250 and the lower surface of the recess 34 of the main lock release portion 130 come into contact (i.e., space V disappears), and the magnetic force of the nearby magnets M1 and M2 attracting each other strengthens the lock of the buckle portions 100 and 200.

[0032] Here, Figure 4 is a top view (top view) showing a partially transparent main portion of the buckle portion 100, of the buckle portions 100, 200 in the locked state shown in Figure 3(D). In this locked state, the main lock release button 32 is biased by the coil spring 35 and positioned at position P2, as described in the explanation of Figure 3(A). Also, the legs 33R and 33L of the main lock release portion 130 are biased by the beam portions 36R and 33L and positioned at position P6, as described in the explanation of Figure 3(D).

[0033] On the other hand, in this locked state, the child lock release button 23R is biased toward the right X1 (from position P3 shown in Figure 5(C) later to position P4 shown in Figure 4) by the beam portion 24R which functions as a leaf spring, and is positioned at position P4. Similarly, the child lock release button 23L is biased toward the left X2 (likewise from position P3 to position P4) by the beam portion 24L which functions as a leaf spring, and is positioned at position P4. Thus, positions P3 and P4 correspond to examples of the "third position" and "fourth position" in this disclosure, respectively.

[0034] As shown in Figure 4, the main body 31 of the main lock release unit 130 is provided with ribs 37R, 37L (corresponding to an example of the "first contact portion" in this disclosure), which are convex portions that extend from the lower surface of the main lock release button 32 toward position P1 (rearward Y2) and have a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The child lock release unit 120 has flat plate portions 26R, 26L protruding inward from the child lock release buttons 23R, 23L, and these flat plate portions 26R, 26L are provided with bosses 27R, 27L (corresponding to an example of the "second contact portion" in this disclosure), which have a substantially rectangular prism shape. These ribs 37R, 37L and bosses 27R, 27L are arranged in different positions facing each other in the locked state shown in Figure 4.

[0035] As a result, even if the main release button 32 is displaced backward Y2 against the biasing force to release the lock on the buckle parts 100 and 200, the ribs 37R and 37L come into contact with the bosses 27R and 27L, causing them to interfere with each other. In this way, when the child release buttons 23R and 23L are in position P4 (Figures 3(D), 4, and 5(A) described later), the main release button 32 becomes inoperable. As a result, the engagement between the legs 33R and 33L of the main release part 130 and the protrusion 52 of the finial part 250 is maintained, and the lock on the buckle parts 100 and 200 cannot be released.

[0036] [Release operation of buckle parts 100 and 200] Figures 5(A) to 5(C) are top views (top perspective) showing the main parts of the buckle portion 100 in a partially transparent manner, illustrating an example of the procedure for unlocking the buckle portions 100 and 200. First, Figure 5(A) is substantially equivalent to Figure 4, except that the bosses 27R, 27L and the ribs 37R, 37L are shown in a solid color.

[0037] From the state shown in Figure 5(A), when a user presses the child lock release buttons 23R and 23L by pinching them with the fingers of one hand (for example, fingers other than the index finger), the child lock release buttons 23R and 23L rotate and displace along approximately the left-right direction X so that they move closer to each other (indicated by the arc arrows X1 and X2), resulting in the state shown in Figure 5(B). In this state, as shown in Figure 5(B), the bosses 27R and 27L also displace inward along with the child lock release buttons 23R and 23L, so that the ribs 37R and 37L and the bosses 27R and 27L are positioned so that they do not interfere with each other.

[0038] Then, when the user presses the main release button 32 with the same finger (for example, the index finger) while maintaining the state shown in Figure 5(B) (pressing the child release buttons 23R and 23L), the ribs 37R and 37L pass on either side of the bosses 27R and 27L. As a result, the main release button 32 is displaced rearward Y2 against the biasing force of the coil spring 35, and the state shown in Figure 5(C) is created. At this time, the legs 33R and 33L of the main release section 130 are displaced along grooves provided in the lower case section 140, for example, as the main release button 32 moves rearward Y2, as shown in Figures 6(B) and 7(B) described later, and are opened to the right X1 and left X2 against the biasing force, and are positioned at position P5. However, to facilitate understanding of the operation of the main release section 130, its illustration is omitted here. Furthermore, since the magnet M1 provided on the main body 31 of the main lock release unit 130 also moves toward the rear Y2, the relative positions of magnets M1 and M2 shift, causing an attraction between them due to their magnetic forces, and consequently, a reduction in the lock strength.

[0039] In this way, when the child lock release buttons 23R and 23L are in position P3 (Figure 5(B), and later Figures 6(A) and 7(A)), the main lock release button 32 becomes operable. Furthermore, by displacing the main lock release button 32 to position P1 while maintaining this state, the legs 33R and 33L of the main lock release section 130 and the protrusion 52 of the finial section 250 become disengaged, and by pulling the buckle section 200 away from the buckle section 100, the locks on both can be released.

[0040] Next, the operation of the main lock release section 130 (especially the leg sections 33R and 33L) will be further explained using Figures 6(A) and (B) and Figures 7(A) and (B). Figures 6(A) and (B) are top views (top perspective) of the buckle section 100 in the state shown in Figures 5(B) and (C), respectively, mainly showing the main lock release section 130. Figures 7(A) and (B) are perspective views taken from the right X1, mainly showing the buckle section 100 in the state shown in Figures 5(B) and 5(C), respectively. Of these, Figures 6(A) and 7(A) show the same corresponding state, and Figures 6(B) and 7(B) also show the same corresponding state.

[0041] As shown in Figures 6(A) and 7(A), in the state shown in Figure 5(B), that is, when the main lock release button 32 is not pressed, the engagement between the legs 33R and 33L of the main lock release section 130 and the protrusion 52 of the connector section 250 is maintained. From this state, when the main lock release button 32 is pressed towards the rear Y2, the legs 33R and 33L are also displaced towards the rear Y2, as shown in Figures 6(B) and 7(B). At that time, the inner walls 33S of the legs 33R and 33L move along an appropriate part protruding from, for example, the upper case section 110, and open towards the right X1 and left X2 against the biasing force, thereby being positioned at position P5. Also, the magnet M1 provided on the main body 31 of the main lock release section 130 moves towards the rear Y2, so the relative position of the magnets M1 and M2 is shifted, and the attractive force due to their magnetic forces is weakened.

[0042] With the buckle 1 configured in this way, as described above, the buckle parts 100 and 200 are locked when the legs 33R and 33L of the main lock release part 130 engage with the protrusion 52 of the finial part 250. At this time, if the child lock release buttons 23R and 23L are in position P4, the ribs 37R and 37L and the bosses 27R and 27L interfere with each other, rendering the main lock release button 32 inoperable. Therefore, the engagement between the legs 33R and 33L of the main lock release part 130 and the protrusion 52 of the finial part 250 is maintained, and the lock on the buckle parts 100 and 200 is maintained (they are not unlocked).

[0043] On the other hand, when the child lock release buttons 23R and 23L are displaced from position P4 to position P3, the ribs 37R and 37L and the bosses 27R and 27L do not interfere with each other, and the main lock release button 32 becomes operable. Therefore, while maintaining this state, if the main lock release button 32 is displaced from position P2 to position P1, the engagement between the legs 33R and 33L of the main lock release part 130 and the protrusion 52 of the finial part 250 is released, and the lock between the first buckle part and the second buckle part can be released. Thus, in order to release the locks of the buckle parts 100 and 200, it is necessary to operate both the main lock release button 32 and the child lock release buttons 23R and 23L, which are located in different positions, simultaneously against the biasing force. Therefore, the lock release operation of the buckle parts 100 and 200 can be made more complex without increasing the number of parts compared to conventional designs. As a result, it is possible to effectively prevent accidental operation of the main lock release button 32 and the child lock release buttons 23R and 23L by children or infants, and to further improve the safety of the buckle 1 compared to conventional designs.

[0044] Furthermore, when the child lock release buttons 23R and 23L are in position P4, the magnet M1 provided on the main lock release part 130 of the buckle part 100 and the magnet M2 provided on the finial part 250 of the buckle part 200 are positioned opposite each other so as to attract each other (opposite polarities are opposite each other). As a result, the buckle parts 100 and 200 can be locked quickly and firmly not only by the engagement between the legs 33R and 33L of the main lock release part 130 and the protrusion 52 of the finial part 250, but also by the magnetic force of attraction between the magnets M1 and M2. Moreover, even if the engagement between the main body 31 and legs 33R and 33L of the main lock release part 130 and the protrusion 52 of the finial part 250 is released by operating the child lock release buttons 23R and 23L, it is possible to prevent the buckle parts 100 and 200 from being accidentally released unless the magnets M1 and M2 are pulled apart against the magnetic force. Conversely, if magnets M1 and M2 are arranged so that they repel each other (with opposite polarities), the locks of buckle parts 100 and 200 will immediately disengage as soon as the engagement is released.

[0045] Furthermore, when the child lock release buttons 23R and 23L are moved from position P4 to position P3, both magnets M1 are moved toward position P3, and magnets M1 and M2 are positioned in a relative shift from their opposing positions. As a result, the attractive force between magnets M1 and M2 is reduced, so when the engagement between the legs 33R and 33L of the main lock release part 130 and the protrusion 52 of the finial part 250 is released, the magnetic coupling between magnets M1 and M2 is also easily released, making it easier to release the locks of the buckle parts 100 and 200.

[0046] Furthermore, in buckle 1, the main lock release button 32 is positioned to protrude forward Y1 from the buckle portion 100, and the child lock release buttons 23R and 23L are positioned to protrude left and right X towards the front of the buckle portion 100. In other words, the one main lock release button 32 and the two child lock release buttons 23R and 23L are positioned at the vertices of a triangle. Therefore, these three release buttons can be easily pressed at once by bending the fingers of one hand and gripping the buckle, improving operability and the feel (grip) when unlocking. Moreover, while such one-handed operation is relatively easy for adults, it tends to be difficult for children and toddlers due to their hand size and strength, thus further preventing accidental operation by children and toddlers and further improving the safety of buckle 1.

[0047] Furthermore, the main lock release button 32 is biased by a coil spring 35, and the child lock release buttons 23R and 23L are biased by beam sections 24R and 24L. Therefore, by sandwiching one main lock release button 32 between the two child lock release buttons 23R and 23L, it becomes easier to arrange them in a triangular shape, which, as mentioned above, enhances operability and the feel of operation (grip).

[0048] Furthermore, when the legs 33R and 33L of the main lock release section 130 engage with the protrusion 52 of the finial section 250, the legs 33R and 33L move from position P6 to position P5 due to the protrusion 52, and then return to position P6, thereby fitting into the annular groove 52g. This allows the legs 33R and 33L of the main lock release section 130 and the protrusion 52 of the finial section 250 to engage quickly and reliably, thereby improving user convenience. In addition, in such an engaged state, the legs 33R and 33L can slide around the annular groove 52g, allowing the buckle sections 100 and 200 to rotate relative to each other, thereby increasing the degree of freedom (tolerance) of movement of both.

[0049] In addition, as the main release button 32 moves from position P2 to position P1, the legs 33R and 33L of the main release section 130 move to open from position P6 to position P5. As a result, when the main release button 32 is displaced to position P1, the legs 33R and 33L separate from the annular groove 52g of the protrusion 52 in the finial section 250, which has the advantage of making it easier to release the engagement of the buckle sections 100 and 200.

[0050] Although an embodiment has been described above with reference to specific examples, these are provided to facilitate understanding of the disclosure and are not intended to limit its interpretation. In other words, the disclosure is not limited to individual examples, and any modifications made to such examples by those skilled in the art are also included within the technical scope of the disclosure, as long as they retain the features of the disclosure. Furthermore, the elements, arrangements, materials, conditions, shapes, dimensions, scales, etc., of the aforementioned examples are not limited to those exemplified unless otherwise specified, and can be modified as appropriate. Moreover, the elements of the aforementioned examples can be combined in different ways as appropriate, as long as no technical inconsistencies arise.

[0051] For example, the buckle portion 100 may be provided with a protrusion 52 on which a magnet M1 is placed, and the buckle portion 200 may have a configuration corresponding to the main lock release portion 130 and the child lock release portion 120. Also, multiple main lock release buttons 32 may be provided, and one or more child lock release buttons 23R, 23L may be provided. Furthermore, the buckle 1 does not have to have magnets M1, M2. In addition, the child lock release buttons 23R, 23L do not have to be provided with anti-slip features 24R, 22L, and the main lock release button 32 may be provided with similar anti-slip features. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0052] 1...Buckle, 11...Housing, 12R,12L...Corner, 13...Recess, 14R,14L...Corner, 15R,15L...Recess, 21...Housing, 22R,22L...Anti-slip, 23R,23L...Child lock release button (second operating part), 24R,24L...Beam part (second elastic body), 25...Opening, 26R,26L...Flat plate part, 27R,27L...Boss (second contact part), 31...Main body, 32...Me In-lock release button (first operating part), 33R, 33L... Leg part (first locking part), 33R... Leg part, 33S... Inner wall, 34... Recess, 35... Coil spring (first elastic body), 36R, 36L... Beam part, 37R, 37L... Rib (first contact part), 41... Housing, 42R, 42L... Corner part, 43... Recess, 44R, 44L... Corner part, 45R, 45L... Recess, 46R, 46L... Recess, 47... Opening, 51... Woven, 52... protruding part (second locking part), 52g... annular groove, 61... seating, 62... projection, 100... buckle part (first buckle part), 110... upper case part, 120... child lock release part (second lock release part), 130... main lock release part (first lock release part), 140... lower case part, 200... buckle part (second buckle part), 250... finial part, 260... magnet fixing part, B1, B2... be bolt mounting part, M1... magnet (first magnetic body), M2... magnet (second magnetic body), P1... position (first position), P2... position (second position), P3... position (third position), P4... position (fourth position), P5... position ( 5th position), P6...Position (6th position), T...Abutment area, V...Space, X...Left and right direction, X1...Right side, X2...Left side, Y...Anteroposterior direction, Y1...Front, Y2...Backward, Z...Vertical direction, Z1...Upper, Z2...Downward

Claims

1. A first buckle portion having a first locking portion, A second buckle portion having a second locking portion that engages with the first locking portion, A first lock release unit configured to switch between an engaged state and a disengaged state between the first locking portion and the second locking portion, A second unlocking unit configured to switch between an inoperable state and an operable state of the first unlocking unit, Equipped with, The first unlocking unit has a first operating unit that is movable between a first position and a second position and biased toward the second position from the first position, and a first contact unit provided on the first position side of the first operating unit. The second unlocking portion has a second operating portion that is movable between a third position and a fourth position and biased toward the fourth position from the third position, and a second contact portion provided on the third position side of the second operating portion. The first operating section and the second operating section are provided in different positions. When the second operating portion is in the fourth position, the first contact portion and the second contact portion interfere with each other, the first operating portion is held in the second position and becomes inoperable, and the engagement state between the first locking portion and the second locking portion is maintained. When the second operating portion is in the third position, the first contact portion and the second contact portion do not interfere with each other, the first operating portion becomes operable to move to the first position, and when the first operating portion moves to the first position, the engagement between the first locking portion and the second locking portion is released. buckle.

2. The first buckle portion has a first magnetic material provided on the first locking portion, The second buckle portion has a second magnetic material provided on the second locking portion so as to attract the first magnetic material, When the second operating section is in the fourth position, the first magnetic material and the second magnetic material are positioned opposite each other. The buckle according to claim 1.

3. When the second operating section is in the third position, the first magnetic material and the second magnetic material are positioned at positions that are relatively offset from the opposing positions. The buckle according to claim 2.

4. The one first operating unit and the two second operating units are arranged in a triangular shape. The buckle according to claim 1.

5. The first operating section is biased by the first elastic body, The second operating section is biased by the second elastic body. The buckle according to claim 4.

6. The first locking portion has legs that are biased from the fifth position toward the sixth position, The second locking portion has a protrusion having an annular groove, When the first locking portion and the second locking portion engage, the leg portion moves from the sixth position toward the fifth position by the protrusion, and then returns to the sixth position, thereby fitting into the annular groove. The buckle according to claim 1.

7. When the first operating unit moves from the second position toward the first position, the leg moves from the sixth position toward the fifth position. The buckle according to claim 6.

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