Connector and method for disconnecting the male and female parts of the connector.

Abstract

To provide a connector that allows for emergency disconnection. [Solution] The connector 1 includes male and female parts F and M. Female part F has a female portion 10 in which a female channel 20 and an opening 30 are formed. Male part M has a male portion 60 and a main body portion 70. Male portion 60 includes a leaf spring 65 that can be elastically deformed by external operation with a string. The displacement of male portion 60 along the female channel 20 is restricted by the engagement of an engaging projection 80 and a projection receiving portion 85 via the elastic deformation of the leaf spring 65, and the engaging projection 80 can be released from the projection receiving portion 85 in response to the bending deformation of the leaf spring 65 by external operation with a string. Female portion 10 has at least one access window 9 that allows an external force to be applied directly or indirectly to the leaf spring 65 in order to release the engaging projection 80 from the projection receiving portion 85 while the displacement of male portion 60 along the female channel 20 is restricted by the engagement of the engaging projection 80 and the projection receiving portion 85.

Description

Technical Field

[0005]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a connector and a method for disconnecting the male and female parts of the connector.

Background Art

[0002] General-purpose buckles used for clothing, bags, shoes, etc. can generally be easily unlocked by an operation of gripping between the thumb and index finger. However, unlike such general buckles, there is also a need for a connector that is designed so that it cannot be easily disconnected once the male and female parts are connected. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a connector designed to impose an operation burden on a user to unlock the male and female parts by operating a leaf spring by pulling a string (see FIGS. 9A and 16 of the same document). For reference, FIG. 9A of the same document illustrates a state in which a protrusion is engaged with an opening of a leaf spring in a channel and locked.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the connector of Patent Document 1, if it becomes impossible to pull the string due to some cause (for example, cutting of the string, loss of the string), there is a risk that the connector cannot be disconnected. Connectors are generally manufactured to have high rigidity, and it becomes extremely difficult to disconnect the connector under such circumstances. In view of such problems of non-limiting examples, the inventor of the present application has found a new problem of enabling an emergency disconnection of a connector designed to be unlocked only by a limited method.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] A connector according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a female part having a female channel having channel ends on both sides in the width direction of the female part, and an opening formed in the female part that opens the female channel to the front of the female part; a male part having a male part that is inserted into and restrained in the female channel of the female part, and a main body connected to the male part at the rear of the male part, the male part including a leaf spring that is elastically flexible and deformable by external operation by a string. The displacement of the male part along the female channel is restricted within the female channel by the engagement of an engaging projection and a projection receiving part via the elastic deformation of the leaf spring, and the engaging projection can be released from the projection receiving part in response to the flexural deformation of the leaf spring by external operation by a string. The female part has at least one access window that allows an external force to be applied directly or indirectly to the leaf spring in order to release the engaging projection from the projection receiving part, while the displacement of the male part along the female channel within the female channel is restricted by the engagement of the engaging projection and the projection receiving part.

[0006] In some embodiments, the leaf spring has an outer and inner surface that determines the thickness of the leaf spring, an engaging projection is provided on the outer surface of the leaf spring, and a projection receiving portion is formed on the female part. The number of engaging projections may be one or more. The number of projection receiving portions may be one or more. The engaging projection may be provided at the widthwise center of the male part. The projection receiving portion may be provided at the widthwise center of the female part.

[0007] In some embodiments, the projection receiving portion and the access window are provided at the same location in the width direction of the female portion, forming an opening that serves both as the projection receiving portion and the access window. The opening is formed to penetrate the female portion from the outer surface of the female portion to the female channel. When the engaging projection and the projection receiving portion are engaged, an external force can be indirectly applied to the leaf spring via the engaging projection positioned in the opening. The opening may be provided at the center in the width direction of the female portion.

[0008] In some embodiments, the opening is defined by left and right walls that are spaced apart and facing each other in the width direction of the female portion, with the distance between the left and right walls being 1 cm or less.

[0009] In some embodiments, the female portion includes a lower plate, an upper plate, and a connecting plate that connects the lower and upper plates. The opening may penetrate each (i.e., all) of the lower plate, upper plate, and connecting plate. The female channel is open by the opening in at least three directions: downward, upward, and backward.

[0010] In some embodiments, the engaging projection includes a lower projection and an upper projection that are spaced apart and opposed to each other in the vertical direction. Both the lower projection and the upper projection can be positioned within the opening without protruding from the opening.

[0011] In some embodiments, the connecting plate is provided with at least one guide projection that guides the movement of the male part along the female channel. A lower groove is formed between the guide projection and the lower plate into which the lower projection is inserted, and an upper groove is formed between the guide projection and the upper plate into which the upper projection is inserted.

[0012] In some embodiments, the connecting plate has at least one inclined surface on which an engaging projection slides when the male part is inserted into the female channel, causing the leaf spring to flex.

[0013] In some embodiments, the leaf spring has a string connector to which a string is attached. The string connector includes an internal passage through which the string passes, a column around which the string is wrapped, and a string holder that compresses and holds the string. The internal passage reaches the outer surface of the leaf spring and forms an opening on the outer surface, and the string holder and column are provided in this order from the opening in the leaf spring.

[0014] In some embodiments, the female portion does not have a projection that protrudes into an opening formed on the outer surface of the leaf spring via an internal passage.

[0015] In some embodiments, the main body has a strap channel that allows a strap to extend from a strap connector to the rear of the male part. The main body includes at least one belt passage through which the strap channel is spatially connected, and a rear rod that defines the belt passage from the rear of the male part. The front surface of the rear rod includes an inclined surface that is inclined over substantially the entire thickness of the rear rod.

[0016] In some embodiments, the lower plate and the upper plate each have a lower restraining portion and an upper restraining portion, respectively, which prevent the male portion from escaping from the female channel through the opening.

[0017] Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a method for releasing the connection between a male part and a female part in any of the above-described connectors. The method includes the steps of inserting a rod-shaped member into an access window to apply an external force directly or indirectly to a leaf spring to release the engaging projection from the projection receiving portion, and releasing the male part from the female channel by lateral pulling.

[0018] The leaf spring has an outer surface and an inner surface that determine the thickness of the leaf spring, and an engaging projection is provided on the outer surface of the leaf spring, with a projection receiving portion formed on the female part. The projection receiving portion and the access window are provided at the same location in the width direction of the female part, forming an opening that serves as both the projection receiving portion and the access window. The opening is formed to penetrate the female part from the outer surface to the female channel. When the engaging projection and the projection receiving portion are engaged, an external force can be indirectly applied to the leaf spring via the engaging projection positioned in the opening. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a connector that allows for emergency disconnection can be provided. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0020] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of a connector according to one aspect of this disclosure. It is drawn with the accuracy of a product design drawing. [Figure 2] This is an exploded perspective view of the connector. It is drawn with the accuracy required for product design drawings. [Figure 3] This is an exploded perspective view of the connector, showing it from a different viewpoint than Figure 2. It is drawn with the accuracy required for product design drawings. [Figure 4] This is an exploded perspective view of a connector, showing one stage in the connection process between the male and female parts. It is drawn with the accuracy required for product design drawings. [Figure 5] Top view of a connector with male and female parts in a separated state. It is drawn according to the accuracy of the product design drawing standard. [Figure 6] Side view of a connector with male and female parts in a separated state. It is drawn according to the accuracy of the product design drawing standard. [Figure 7] Side view of a connector with male and female parts in a connected state. It is drawn according to the accuracy of the product design drawing standard. [Figure 8] Schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the male part along the dashed line X8-X8 in Figure 5. It is drawn according to the accuracy of the product design drawing standard. [Figure 9] Schematic horizontal cross-sectional view of the male part along the dashed line X9-X9 in Figure 6. It is drawn according to the accuracy of the product design drawing standard. [Figure 10] Front view of the male part. It is drawn according to the accuracy of the product design drawing standard. [Figure 11] Schematic diagram showing the process in which the male part of the male part is inserted into the female channel of the female part and the engaging protrusion and the protrusion receiving part are engaged. [Figure 12] Schematic diagram showing the process in which the male part is inserted into the female channel and the engaging protrusion and the protrusion receiving part are engaged. [Figure 13] Schematic diagram showing the state in which the male part is inserted into the female channel and the engaging protrusion and the protrusion receiving part are engaged. [Figure 14] Schematic horizontal cross-sectional view of the female part along the dashed line X14-X14 in Figure 7. It is drawn according to the accuracy of the product design drawing standard. [Figure 15] Schematic horizontal cross-sectional view showing the state in which the female part is pulled backward by a string and the leaf spring is bent in the same direction, and a slight gap is formed between the leaf spring and the guide protrusion. [Figure 16] Schematic horizontal cross-sectional view showing the state in which the leaf spring is bent backward of the female part by a string and the engaging protrusion exits from the protrusion receiving part, and the engaging protrusion can escape from the protrusion receiving part and escape to the left or right therefrom. [Figure 17]This is a schematic diagram of a vertical cross-section at the center in the width direction of a connector, showing the male and female parts connected. It is drawn with the accuracy required for product design drawings. [Figure 18] This is a top view of a connector relating to another aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 19] Figure 18 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the connector along the dashed line AA. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0021] The following describes non-limiting embodiments and features of the present invention with reference to the drawings. Those skilled in the art will understand that each embodiment and / or feature can be combined without needing excessive explanation, and that the synergistic effects of such combinations will also be understandable. Duplication of explanation between embodiments will be omitted in principle. The reference drawings are primarily for describing the invention and have been simplified for ease of drawing.

[0022] The following explanation will be given with reference to Figures 1 to 7. Figure 1 is a perspective view of connector 1. Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of connector 1. Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of connector 1, viewed from a different viewpoint than Figure 2. Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of connector 1, showing one stage of the connection process between male part M and female part F. Figure 5 is a top view of connector 1 with male part M and female part F separated. Figure 6 is a side view of connector 1 with male part M and female part F separated. Figure 7 is a side view of connector 1 with male part M and female part F connected. Figures 1 to 7 are all drawn with the accuracy required for product design drawings and are not merely schematic diagrams.

[0023] In this specification, the directions will be described with reference to those indicated by the first and second coordinates C1 and C2, respectively, which are individually assigned to the female part F and the male part M, as shown in Figure 2. The first and second coordinates C1 and C2 differ in that their front-to-back and left-to-right directions are reversed. The vertical directions of the first and second coordinates C1 and C2 are parallel and can be considered identical. The width direction of the female part F and the male part M corresponds to the left-to-right direction of the first and second coordinates C1 and C2, respectively. The thickness direction of the female part F and the male part M corresponds to the vertical direction of the first and second coordinates C1 and C2, respectively. The depth direction of the female part F and the male part M corresponds to the front-to-back direction of the first and second coordinates C1 and C2, respectively.

[0024] The connector 1 consists of a female part F and a male part M. The female part F and male part M are resin parts injected from a resin material, and have a rectangular shape when viewed from above, with a large left-right width relative to its front-to-back width (depth), and possess sufficient rigidity (mechanical strength) to withstand collisions and friction with other objects. It is also possible to 3D print the female part F and male part M using a 3D printer, but in this case, it is desirable to increase their mechanical strength by embedding reinforcing materials, etc.

[0025] The female part F is typically shaped symmetrically in the vertical and horizontal directions, so that it can be used without considering orientation in these directions, i.e., even if the female part F is inverted. The male part M in the illustrated example is shaped symmetrically in the horizontal direction, but asymmetrically in the vertical direction (this will become clear from the explanation below). However, it is possible to use the male part M inverted vertically.

[0026] Female part F is a part formed in female part 10 having a female channel 20 with channel ends 21, 22 on both sides in the width direction of female part F, and an opening 30 that opens the female channel 20 forward relative to female part F. The female channel 20 penetrates the female part 10 across its entire width. The female channel 20 is open on both the left and right sides at the left and right channel ends 21, 22, and is open forward by the opening 30, that is, it is open in three directions (left, right, and forward). As can be seen from the description below, the female channel 20 is also opened upward, downward and / or backward at a position between the left and right ends of the entire width of female part 10 (for example, midway between the left and right ends) by the access window 9 (or opening OP1) described below. The opening 30 is formed parallel to the female channel 20 along its entire length in the width direction of the female part F, and is spatially in communication with the female channel 20 along its entire length in the width direction of the female part F. The female part F may further have a rod portion 41 connected to the female portion 10 from the rear, thereby defining a belt passage 49.

[0027] The male part M includes a male portion 60 that is inserted into and restrained in the female channel 20 of the female part 10, and a main body portion 70 connected to the male portion 60 at the rear of the male part M. The main body portion 70 may have at least one belt passage 79 (for example, at the rear of the main body portion 70). Exemplary, the same or different belts are attached to the female part F and the male part M, but it is also possible to embed the belts during injection molding of each part. In other words, the method of fixing the belts to the female part F and the male part M is arbitrary.

[0028] First, the female part F will be described in more detail. The female part 10 has a roughly U-shaped, C-shaped, or U-shaped cross-section and includes a lower plate 11, an upper plate 12, and a connecting plate 13 that connects the lower plate 11 and the upper plate 12. The lower plate 11 and the upper plate 12 are flat or curved plate portions that are long in the width direction of the female part F and narrow in the depth direction. The connecting plate 13 is a flat or curved plate portion that is long in the width direction of the female part F and narrow in the thickness direction. In some cases, the connecting plate 13 is divided into left and right portions in the width direction of the female part F by the access window 9 or opening OP1 described later, but it is not necessarily limited to this form and can also be formed continuously across the entire width of the female part F.

[0029] The female part 10 is shaped to restrain the male part 60 within the female channel 20. Preferably, the lower plate 11 and the upper plate 12 have a lower restraining portion 11a and an upper restraining portion 12a that prevent the male part 60 from escaping (forward displacement relative to the female part F) from the female channel 20 through the opening 30. The female channel 20 is defined from above by the lower plate 11, from below by the upper plate 12, from behind by the connecting plate 13, and from the front by the lower restraining portion 11a and the upper restraining portion 12a.

[0030] The lower restraint portion 11a and the upper restraint portion 12a are arranged facing each other in the vertical direction, determining the opening width of the opening 30 in the vertical direction. The opening width of this opening 30 is smaller than the width of the female channel 20 between the lower plate 11 and the upper plate 12 (for example, about 50-80% of it). Modelly, the lower restraint portion 11a and the upper restraint portion 12a are formed along the leading edges of the lower plate 11 and the upper plate 12 over the entire width of the female part F. However, they may be formed intermittently in the width direction of the female part F. For example, the lower restraint portion 11a and the upper restraint portion 12a are divided into three sections in the width direction of the female part F. In this case, the mechanical strength of these restraints is reduced, but the weight of the female part F is reduced.

[0031] A configuration in which the lower restraint portion 11a and the upper restraint portion 12a are provided at different positions in the front-rear direction is also conceivable. The vertical width of the opening 30 measured between the lower restraint portion 11a and the upper restraint portion 12a may change in correlation with the offset distance between the lower restraint portion 11a and the upper restraint portion 12a in the front-rear direction. It is, of course, possible to omit either the lower restraint portion 11a or the upper restraint portion 12a. Other structures of the female part F will be described later.

[0032] The male part M will be described in more detail with additional reference to Figures 8 to 10. Figure 8 is a schematic vertical cross-section of the male part M along the dashed line X8-X8 in Figure 5. Figure 9 is a schematic horizontal cross-section of the male part M along the dashed line X9-X9 in Figure 6. Figure 10 is a front view of the male part M. All drawings are drawn with the accuracy required by product design drawing standards.

[0033] The male part 60 is a frame-shaped portion that is wider in the width direction of the male part M and narrower in the depth direction of the male part M. In detail, the male part 60 has a leaf spring 65 that can be elastically bent and deformed by external operation by a string, a support wall 61 that supports one end of the leaf spring 65, a support wall 62 that supports the other end of the leaf spring 65, and restrained parts 63, 64 that are restrained by a lower restraining part 11a and an upper restraining part 12a. There is a space between the leaf spring 65 and the restrained parts 63, 64, allowing the leaf spring 65 to bend backward. It is also possible to place the string connecting part 68, described later, in that space. The leaf spring 65 and the restrained parts 63, 64 are arranged with a first gap between them in the front-rear direction. The support wall 61 and the support wall 62 are arranged with a larger second gap between them in the left-right direction. The second gap may be within a range of 3 to 8 times the first gap.

[0034] The leaf spring 65 has an outer surface 65a and an inner surface 65b that determine the thickness of the leaf spring 65. The outer surface 65a of the leaf spring 65 is a surface that curves slightly forward across the entire width between the left and right support walls 61 and 62, and has no protrusions other than the engagement projection 80 (lower projection 81, upper projection 82) described later, which is provided protruding from the front of the male part M. By adopting such a leaf spring 65, the smooth insertion of the male part 60 into the female channel 20 is facilitated, and the molding die for the male part M is simplified. In the initial position when the leaf spring 65 is not elastically deformed, the outer surface 65a is slightly separated from the main body 70 as it extends toward the widthwise center of the male part M. Similarly, the inner surface 65b is slightly separated from the main body 70 as it extends toward the widthwise center of the male part M.

[0035] The thickness of the leaf spring 65, determined between the outer surface 65a and the inner surface 65b, is typically within the range of 1.0 to 3.0 mm. If the thickness is too small, the target connection strength may not be achieved, and its mechanical strength will decrease. If the thickness is too large, the connection strength will become too high, making it difficult to release the connection between the male part M and the female part F even by manipulating the string.

[0036] Preferably, the radius of curvature of the outer surface 65a is 0.4m or more, or 0.5m or more, or 0.6m or more. The radius of curvature of the inner surface 65b is approximately equal to, but may differ from, the radius of curvature of the outer surface 65a. When the male part M is injection molded so that the leaf spring 65 has a larger radius of curvature, a reduction in mold costs and / or a reduction in the occurrence of molding defects can be expected. The leaf spring 65 can have any dimensions and / or shape insofar as it deforms in response to an external force applied directly or indirectly and elastically returns to its initial position when the external force is released. For example, a leaf spring with a smaller vertical width than the one shown can be used. A leaf spring with a wavy upper edge and a wavy lower edge can also be used. A leaf spring in which the vertical height changes in the width direction of the male part M can also be used. A leaf spring in which the plate thickness changes in the width direction of the male part M can also be used.

[0037] The leaf spring 65 has a string coupling portion 68 to which a string is attached for external operation by string, and optionally further has displacement limiting protrusions 69p, 69q that define the deformation limit point of the leaf spring 65. By pulling the string to the rear of the male part M, the string coupling portion 68 can be moved to the rear, causing the leaf spring 65 to which the string coupling portion 68 is attached to bend backward in an arc shape.

[0038] The string coupling portion 68 is provided connected to the inner surface 65b of the leaf spring 65, not the outer surface 65a. That is, the string coupling portion 68 is provided in a convex shape within the frame space of the male portion 60, thereby ensuring the smooth insertion of the male portion 60 into the female channel 20. Preferably, the string coupling portion 68 has a width that gradually decreases as it moves further rearward from the leaf spring 65. When the string is pulled backward to bend the leaf spring 65 backward, the rear end of the string coupling portion 68 is smoothly received by the string channel 7 described later.

[0039] The displacement-restricting protrusions 69p and 69q are provided so as to be able to collide with the restrained parts 63 and 64 (specifically, the wall surfaces that define the internal space of the male part 60) when the string connection part 68 is pulled backward by the string, thereby suppressing the failure of the leaf spring 65. The front-to-back distance between the displacement-restricting protrusions 69p and 69q and the wall surfaces of the restrained parts 63 and 64 when the leaf spring 65 is not deformed is set to correspond to the deformation of the leaf spring 65 at or below the allowable limit. In the illustrated example, the displacement-restricting protrusions 69p and 69q are provided connected to both the left and right sides of the string connection part 68, thereby increasing the mechanical strength, but this is not necessarily the case.

[0040] The string connection section 68 may include an internal passage 68a through which the string passes, a column 68b around which the string is wrapped, and a string holding section 68c that compresses and holds the string (see Figure 9 in particular). Optionally, the internal passage 68a reaches the outer surface 65a of the leaf spring 65, forming an opening OP2 (i.e., a different opening from opening OP1) on the outer surface 65a (see Figure 10 in particular), and the string holding section 68c and column 68b are provided in this order from the opening OP2 of the leaf spring 65. In this case, after loosely wrapping the string around the column 68b, pulling the string backward automatically inserts and holds it in the string holding section 68c, making string attachment easy. Furthermore, the female section 10 does not have a projection that protrudes into the opening OP2, which facilitates the simplification of the molding die for the female part F.

[0041] The cord holding portion 68c is configured to reduce the width of the internal passage 68a, preferably in the thickness direction of the male part M (see, for example, Figure 8). In some cases, the cord holding portion 68c includes an upper part located above the internal passage 68a and a lower part located below the internal passage 68a. The vertical distance between these upper and lower parts is less than the diameter of the cord (or less than the maximum width of the cord). The cord typically has a circular or elliptical cross-sectional shape. The cord is a knitted cord that is elastic in its longitudinal direction and can naturally return to its shape in its cross-sectional direction, but is not limited to this, and cords containing paper cord, hemp cord, or metal wire (e.g., electrical cord) can also be used. That is, the cord only needs to be sufficient for the purpose of operating the leaf spring 65, and there are no limitations on its material.

[0042] The restrained parts 63 and 64 have lower ends that protrude below the lower surface of the main body 70. When the male part M is moved away from the female part F while the female part F and male part M are connected, the lower ends of the restrained parts 63 and 64 collide with the lower restraining part 11a and are restrained. Similarly, the restrained parts 63 and 64 have upper ends that protrude above the upper surface of the main body 70. When the male part M is moved away from the female part F while the female part F and male part M are connected, the upper ends of the restrained parts 63 and 64 collide with the upper restraining part 12a and are restrained. Ideally, the timing of the two collisions described above is the same.

[0043] When the male part M and the female part F are connected, the string connection part 68 is positioned within the female channel 20 of the female part 10. Therefore, it is desirable to form a string channel in either the male part M or the female part F to allow the string connected to the string connection part 68 to escape to the outside. In order to bend the leaf spring 65 backward, it is desirable to apply a force that pulls linearly backward to the leaf spring 65. This is especially true if the leaf spring 65 has a thickness that makes it difficult to bend (for example, a thickness of 5 mm or 8 mm or more). From the above point, it is preferable to provide a string channel 7 in the male part M. However, it is not limited to this, and for example, an opening or notch may be formed in the female part 10 of the female part F to form a string channel. For example, it is possible to extend the opening OP1 described later to the front end of the female part 10 to form a string channel.

[0044] The main body 70 has a cord channel 7 that allows the cord to extend rearward from the cord connection portion 68. The cord channel 7 is spatially connected to the internal space of the male portion 60. In a typical example, the cord channel 7 is spatially connected to the belt passage 79. In the illustrated example, the cord channel 7 is partially open in the vertical direction and has a width from left to right that is sufficiently larger than the diameter or width of the cord, so that the cord can be easily threaded through the cord channel 7 and the state in which the cord has been threaded can be visually confirmed.

[0045] The main body 70 may have one or more lower rods 71 ​​and one or more upper rods 72 that sandwich the string on both the upper and lower sides. The string passed through the string channel 7 is sandwiched between the upper rods 72 and the lower rods 71, thereby positioning the string at or near the center of the thickness of the male part M, which facilitates a more stable backward pull of the string due to the backward bending deformation of the leaf spring 65.

[0046] The main body 70 has left and right plate-like portions 78p and 78q provided on both the left and right sides of the string channel 7 to define the left and right width of the string channel 7, and a rear rod 78r that defines the belt passage 79 from the rear (in short, provided behind the belt passage 79). The rear rod 78r is connected to the left and right plate-like portions 78p and 78q at both ends to define the belt passage 79.

[0047] The plate-like portions 78p and 78q extend from the outer circumference of the main body portion 70 toward the widthwise center of the female part F, defining the string channel 7. The channel width of the string channel 7 is defined by the opposing surfaces of the plate-like portions 78p and 78q. Preferably, the channel width can be shaped so that the width gradually increases from left to right toward the front of the male part M, thereby avoiding interference with the string connection portion 68. The upper rod 72 spans across the left and right plate-like portions 78p and 78q in the widthwise direction of the male part M, and the same applies to the lower rod 71.

[0048] The left and right plate-like portions 78p and 78q preferably have a thickness smaller than the vertical distance between the lower restraint portion 11a and the upper restraint portion 12a, thereby facilitating the smooth insertion of the male portion 60 into the female channel 20. A peripheral wall 75 can be provided on one or both of the upper and lower surfaces of the main body portion 70. In this case, a groove 76 can be formed adjacent to the restrained portions 63 and 64 to avoid interference with the lower restraint portion 11a and the upper restraint portion 12a. The front surface of the rear rod 78r is an inclined surface 78s (see Figure 8) that is inclined over substantially the entire thickness of the rear rod 78r, thereby avoiding or suppressing interference between the string and the belt in the belt passage 79. The substantially entire thickness mentioned here means a thickness of 80% or more of the thickness defined from the upper and lower surfaces of the rear rod 78r connected via the front surface of the rear rod 78r.

[0049] Next, we will explain focusing on the restriction of the displacement of the male part 60 within the female channel 20 in the width direction of the connector 1. For the purpose of restricting the displacement of the male part 60 within the female channel 20, an engaging projection 80 is provided on the leaf spring 65, and a projection receiving portion 85 is formed on the female part 10.

[0050] The engaging projection 80 includes a lower projection 81 and an upper projection 82 that are spaced apart and facing each other in the vertical direction, and both the lower projection 81 and the upper projection 82 can be positioned within the projection receiving portion 85 (opening OP1 described later). Compared to a configuration with a single large projection, the influence on the elastic properties of the leaf spring 65 can be suppressed. The opposing surfaces of the lower projection 81 and the upper projection 82 are flat surfaces, which avoids complicating the structure of the molding core of the internal structure of the string coupling portion 68 (e.g., internal passage 68a, column 68b, and string holding portion 68c).

[0051] The lower surface of the lower projection 81 includes a tip region that slopes upward as it extends toward the tip of the lower projection 81, thereby forming the lower projection 81 thin at the tip. The upper surface of the upper projection 82 includes a tip region that slopes downward as it extends toward the tip of the upper projection 82, thereby forming the upper projection 82 thin at the tip.

[0052] The projection receiving portion 85 is a recessed space on the female part F that is designed to receive a forward-projecting engaging projection 80 on the male part M. In some cases, the projection receiving portion 85 penetrates the connecting plate 13 or is recessed into the inner surface of the connecting plate 13. In the former case, the molding of the projection receiving portion 85 is facilitated. In the former case, preferably, the engaging projection 80 is housed within the projection receiving portion 85 in such a manner that it does not protrude rearward from the rear surface of the connecting plate 13. This prevents or suppresses the engagement projection 80 from protruding from the rear surface of the connecting plate 13 and getting caught on external objects.

[0053] The engagement of the engaging projection 80 and the projection receiving portion 85 via the elastic deformation of the leaf spring 65 restricts the displacement of the male part 60 along the female channel 20, and the engaging projection 80 can be released from the projection receiving portion 85 in response to the bending deformation of the leaf spring 65 by external operation with a string. In short, when the male part 60 is inserted into the female channel 20 and the engaging projection 80 and the projection receiving portion 85 are engaged, external access to the leaf spring 65 is difficult or almost impossible except by external operation with a pre-provided string. This makes it possible to maintain a state in which the displacement of the male part 60 along the female channel 20 is restricted within the female channel 20, except by release by external operation with a pre-provided string, permanently or semi-permanently. On the other hand, when external operation of the leaf spring 65 with a string becomes difficult for some reason, it may be possible to encounter a difficult situation in which the connection between the female part F and the male part M cannot be released.

[0054] In this embodiment, the female part 10 has at least one access window 9 that allows an external force to be applied directly or indirectly to the leaf spring 65 to release the engaging projection 80 from the projection receiving part 85, while the displacement of the male part 60 along the female channel 20 within the female channel 20 is restricted by the engagement of the engaging projection 80 and the projection receiving part 85, thereby enabling emergency disconnection. For the record, the access window 9 is a different opening from the channel ends 21, 22. In some cases, the access window 9 (and / or the opening OP1 described later) penetrates the lower plate 11, the upper plate 12, and the connecting plate 13, respectively, thereby allowing access from multiple directions.

[0055] To reiterate, if external operation of the leaf spring 65 using the pre-installed string becomes difficult, then disconnecting the connector 1 becomes difficult. For example, if the connector 1 is used to secure defensive equipment inside a ship or airplane, the use of that defensive equipment may be hindered. The access window 9 described above provides a temporary solution to such a situation. For example, by inserting a rod-shaped member (e.g., a thin rod-shaped tool (Phillips screwdriver, flathead screwdriver, etc.)) into the access window 9, the leaf spring 65 can be forcibly bent with the rod-shaped member, the engagement between the engaging projection 80 and the projection receiving part 85 can be released, and the male part 60 can be pulled out from the female channel 20 by lateral pulling. The direction of lateral pulling coincides with the width direction of the connector 1.

[0056] The manner or degree of engagement between the engaging projection 80 and the projection receiving portion 85 is determined according to individual needs. In some cases, the engagement between the engaging projection 80 and the projection receiving portion 85 is loose (clear fit), and the engaging projection 80 is (ideally slightly) displaceable within the projection receiving portion 85 in the width direction of the connector 1 (for example, its displaceable distance is up to about 6 mm). In other cases, the engaging projection 80 is pressed into the projection receiving portion 85 (by the spring force of the leaf spring 65) (for example, press-fit). In either case, the displacement of the male portion 60 along the female channel 20 can be restricted within the female channel 20.

[0057] The projection receiving portion 85 does not essentially need to penetrate the female portion 10 (e.g., the connecting plate 13), but simply needs to be recessed in a direction intersecting the extending direction of the female channel 20 (e.g., towards the rear of the female part F). On the other hand, unlike the projection receiving portion 85, the access window 9 needs to penetrate the female portion 10 (one or two selected from the lower plate 11, upper plate 12, and connecting plate 13), otherwise external access to the leaf spring 65 located within the female channel 20 would be impossible. It is also conceivable that the access window 9 be closed with a sliding lid, and the lid can be slid open to open the access window 9 when needed. It is also possible to cover the access window 9 with a removable or breakable membrane (e.g., transparent or colored film, rubber sheet, seal), and remove or break it to open the access window 9 when needed.

[0058] As described above, the projection receiving portion 85 and the access window 9 have different requirements, and their location and size can be determined individually based on these. Therefore, in this context, the projection receiving portion 85 and the access window 9 are provided in separate locations. However, from one or more perspectives, such as simplification of the mold structure (and consequently simplification of the female part F structure), rigidity and mechanical strength of the female part F, and ease of operation for disconnecting the connection via the access window 9, it is optimal to provide the projection receiving portion 85 and the access window 9 in the same location in the width direction of the female part 10, thereby forming an opening OP1 that serves both as the projection receiving portion 85 and the access window 9.

[0059] The opening OP1 is formed to penetrate the female part 10 from its outer surface to the female channel 20, and when the engaging projection 80 and the projection receiving portion 85 are engaged, an external force can be indirectly applied to the leaf spring 65 via the engaging projection 80 located in the opening OP1. By indirectly pushing the leaf spring 65 via the engaging projection 80 rather than directly pushing the leaf spring 65, higher operability is ensured. It can be said that the projection receiving portion 85 and the access window 9 are provided by a common opening OP1 formed to penetrate the female part 10 from its outer surface to the female channel 20.

[0060] The engaging projections 80 (preferably both the lower projection 81 and the upper projection 82) are positioned within the opening OP1 without protruding from it. That is, the engaging projections 80, while positioned within the opening OP1, do not protrude outward (e.g., backward, upward, or downward) beyond the outer surface (e.g., rear, top, or bottom) of the female part 10, and therefore, the unintended release of the connection between the female part F and the male part M is suppressed. However, the fact that the engaging projections 80 are capable of floating within the opening OP1 can be observed and understood from the outside, and (unless the access window 9 is sealed) it may be sufficient for someone who is unaware of how to use the access window 9 in advance to conceive of an operation to push the engaging projections 80 through the access window 9, elastically deform the leaf spring 65, and release the engaging projections 80 from the projection receiving portion 85.

[0061] The access window 9 and / or opening OP1 is defined by left and right wall surfaces 85a and 85b that are spaced apart and facing each other in the width direction of the female portion 10. The distance between the left and right wall surfaces 85a and 85b is 1 cm or less, preferably in the range of 3 mm to 10 mm. This prevents or suppresses the unintended disengagement of the engagement projection 80 and the projection receiving portion 85 due to an unnecessarily enlarged access space. The left and right wall surfaces 85a and 85b also serve as restraining surfaces for the projection receiving portion 85, which prevents the movement of the engagement projection 80.

[0062] Here, the characteristic structure of the female part 10 will be described. The connecting plate 13 is provided with at least one guide projection 3 that guides the movement of the male part 60 along the female channel 20. The guide projection 3 has a rectangular cross-sectional shape, which reduces the space at the channel ends 21, 22 of the female channel 20, thereby facilitating more stable insertion of the male part 60 into the female channel 20 (at the same time, making it more difficult to access the leaf spring 65 from the channel ends 21, 22). Modelly, one guide projection 3 is positioned at an intermediate (middle) height between the lower plate 11 and the upper plate 12. A lower groove 4p into which a lower projection 81 is inserted is formed between the guide projection 3 and the lower plate 11, and an upper groove 4q into which an upper projection 82 is inserted is formed between the guide projection 3 and the upper plate 12. The guide projection 3 does not need to be formed along the entire length of the female channel 20. In one example, the access window 9 or opening OP1 described later is formed through the connecting plate 13, and the guide projection 3 is not formed at this penetration point. As a result, the guide projection 3 is divided into left and right guide projections located on both sides of the access window 9 or opening OP1. The number of guide projections 3 may increase in proportion to the number of access windows 9 (for example, the guide projection 3 may be divided into three discontinuous parts).

[0063] The connecting plate 13 has at least one inclined surface 5p, 5q on which the engaging projection 80 slides when the male part 60 is inserted into the female channel 20, causing the leaf spring 65 to bend. Ideally, left and right inclined surfaces 5p, 5q are provided on both sides of the opening OP1. The left and right inclined surfaces 5p, 5q form a convex tapered shape that protrudes into the female channel 20 (in short, projecting forward). The inclined surfaces 5p, 5q facilitate the molding of the leaf spring 65 to have a larger radius of curvature (by injection molding, etc.). When the leaf spring 65 is molded to have a larger radius of curvature, the female part F and the male part M can be connected with less force.

[0064] When a lower groove 4p and an upper groove 4q are provided, the left and right inclined surfaces 5p and 5q may be the bottom surfaces of the lower groove 4p and / or the upper groove 4q. It is also possible to omit one of the left and right inclined surfaces 5p and 5q in order to limit the insertion direction and separation (detachment) direction of the male part 60 into the female channel 20 to one side. It is immediately apparent from the drawing that the height of the guide projection 3 decreases inversely proportional to the increase in the height of the inclined surface.

[0065] The process of connecting the female part F and the male part M will be explained with reference to Figures 11 to 13. First, the male part 60 is inserted into the female channel 20 (see Figure 11). In detail, the male part 60 is inserted into the female channel 20 from one channel end (e.g., channel end 21) to the other channel end (e.g., channel end 22) and held within the female channel 20. In this state, the male part 60 is positioned from above by the lower plate 11, from below by the upper plate 12, from behind by the connecting plate 13, and from the front by the lower restraint part 11a and the upper restraint part 12a. Subsequently, when the male part 60 is slid along the female channel 20, the engaging projections 80 (e.g., the lower projection 81 and the upper projection 82) collide with the inclined surface 5p (see Figure 12).

[0066] When force is applied to the male part M for further sliding of the male part 60, the leaf spring 65 bends backward relative to the male part M (for example, in a shallow arc or shallow V-shape), and the engaging projection 80 is also displaced in the same direction (see arrow in Figure 12). In some embodiments, when the leaf spring 65 bends backward, the support walls 61 and 62 may also deform toward the widthwise center of the male part M. Once the engaging projection 80 has finished passing the inclined surface 5p, the leaf spring 65 elastically returns to its original shape or to the original shape side, i.e., moves forward relative to the male part M, and the engaging projection 80 is also displaced in the same direction. As a result, the engaging projection 80 enters and engages with the projection receiving portion 85, preventing the sliding movement of the male part 60 along the female channel 20 (see Figure 13). The engaging projection 80 is slightly movable between the left and right wall surfaces 85a and 85b, or is lightly press-fitted between the left and right wall surfaces 85a and 85b.

[0067] When the female part F and the male part M are connected, the leaf spring 65 is located inside the female channel 20. Therefore, it is not visible from the outside in top, bottom, and rear views of the female part F (except for viewing through the access window 9 or opening OP1). Ideally, when the female part F and the male part M are connected, the leaf spring 65 is not visible from the outside in left, right, and front views of the female part F, or is barely visible. When the female part F and the male part M are connected, the channel end 22 is closed by the support wall 61, and similarly, the channel end 21 may be closed by the support wall 62.

[0068] The operation to release the female part F and the male part M will be explained with reference to Figures 14 to 16. First, the projection receiving part 85 and the engaging projection 80 are engaged, preventing the male part 60 from sliding along the female channel 20 (see Figure 14). When the string is pulled backward relative to the male part M, the string connection part 68 is displaced in the same direction, and the leaf spring 65 also bends in the same direction (see Figure 15). When the engaging projection 80 is displaced sufficiently (backward relative to the male part M) to escape from the projection receiving part 85 (see Figure 16), the male part 60 becomes capable of sliding along the female channel 20. By pulling the string linearly backward relative to the male part M, and then pulling the string diagonally backward to the right or left relative to the male part M, the engaging projection 80 can be released from the projection receiving part 85, and subsequently the male part 60 can be slid along the female channel 20. Furthermore, by chamfering the left and / or right corners of the tip of the engaging projection 80, the transition from backward movement of the engaging projection 80 to leftward or rightward movement can be made smoother. If the engaging projection 80 is loosely received within the projection receiving portion 85, the transition from backward movement to leftward or rightward movement can be made smoother (the engaging projection 80 can move leftward or rightward within the projection receiving portion 85, and can begin moving leftward or rightward with lower frictional resistance).

[0069] As described above, by providing an access window 9 (opening OP1 which also functions as access window 9), it becomes possible to temporarily disconnect the male part M and the female part F. This feature is illustrated in Figure 17. When viewing Figure 17 from the front, the rod-shaped member (not shown) can easily access the lower projection 81 from the lower left, and similarly, the upper projection 82 can be easily accessed from the upper left. Since the female channel 20 of the female part 10 is open in three directions—up, down, and rear—by opening OP1, the lower projection 81 and the upper projection 82 can be operated simultaneously or together with a common rod-shaped member. The lower projection 81 and / or the upper projection 82 are pushed by the rod-shaped member, exiting from opening OP1 and entering the female channel 20. In this way, the lower projection 81 and the upper projection 82 are released from engagement with the projection receiving part 85, and the male part 60 can be removed from the female channel 20 by pulling it laterally. Again, the access window 9 does not need to be provided in the same location as the projection receiving part 85. In the width direction of the female part F, two access windows 9 can also be provided on both sides of the projection receiving portion 85.

[0070] Another embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 18 and 19. In this alternative embodiment, a projection receiving portion 85 is formed on the leaf spring 65, and an engaging projection 80 is provided on the female portion 10. The engaging projection 80 is provided projecting forward into the female channel 20 relative to the female part F. Furthermore, an access window 9 is provided in a location separate from the projection receiving portion 85. In this embodiment as well, similar effects can be obtained to the extent that they do not contradict the above. The above-described features can also be applied individually or in any combination to the extent that they do not contradict each other.

[0071] As schematically shown in Figure 18, the female part 10 has an engaging projection 80 that protrudes into the female channel 20. The leaf spring 65 is formed with a smaller radius of curvature than in the embodiment described above. A projection receiving portion 85 is formed at the top of the leaf spring 65, which is curved forward in a convex shape relative to the female part F, and the engaging projection 80 engages with it. The leaf spring 65 is provided with a string connecting portion 68 (not shown), which can release the engagement between the engaging projection 80 and the projection receiving portion 85. Unlike the embodiment described above, the access window 9 is provided at a different position from the projection receiving portion 85. In short, two access windows 9 are provided on both the left and right sides of the engaging projection 80. Furthermore, direct operation of the leaf spring 65 is possible through the access window 9. In this configuration as well, the access window 9 allows for emergency disconnection.

[0072] Based on the above disclosures, those skilled in the art can make various modifications to each feature and each embodiment. The reference numerals included in the claims are for reference only and should not be used to limit the scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] 1: Connector 3: Guide projection 4p: Lower groove 4q: Upper groove 5p: Inclined surface 5q: Inclined surface 7: Channel for string 9: Access window 10: Female part 11: Lower plate 11a: Lower stop part 12: Top board 12a: Upper stop part 13:Connection plate 20: Female channel 21: Channel end 22: Channel end 30: Open mouth 60: Male 65: Leaf spring 65a: External surface 65b: Inner self 68: String connection part 68a: Internal passage 68b: Pillar 68c: String holding part 70: Main body 78r: Rear shaft 78s: Inclined surface 79: Belt aisle 80: Engagement protrusion 81: Lower protrusion 82: Upper projection 85: Projection receptor area F: Female part M: Male part OP1: Opening

Claims

1. A female part (F) having a female channel (20) with channel ends (21, 22) on both sides in the width direction of the female part (F), and a female part (10) having an opening (30) that opens the female channel (20) to the front of the female part (F), The male part (M) comprises a male part (60) which is inserted into and restrained in the female channel (20) of the female part (10), and a main body (70) which is connected to the male part (60) at the rear, wherein the male part (60) includes a leaf spring (65) which can be elastically bent and deformed by external manipulation by a string, The connector (1) is such that the displacement of the male part (60) along the female channel (20) is restricted within the female channel (20) by the engagement of the engaging projection (80) and the projection receiving part (85) via the elastic deformation of the leaf spring (65), and the engaging projection (80) can be released from the projection receiving part (85) in response to the bending deformation of the leaf spring (65) by external operation by the string, A connector having at least one access window (9) that allows an external force to be applied directly or indirectly to the leaf spring (65) to release the engaging projection (80) from the projection receiving portion (85), while the displacement of the male portion (60) along the female channel (20) within the female channel (20) is restricted by the engagement of the engaging projection (80) and the projection receiving portion (85).

2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the leaf spring (65) has an outer surface (65a) and an inner surface (65b) that determine the thickness of the leaf spring (65), the engaging projection (80) is provided on the outer surface (65a) of the leaf spring (65), and the projection receiving portion (85) is formed on the female portion (10).

3. The connector according to claim 2, wherein the projection receiving portion (85) and the access window (9) are provided at the same location in the width direction of the female portion (10) to form an opening (OP1) that serves as both the projection receiving portion (85) and the access window (9), the opening (OP1) is formed to penetrate the female portion (10) from the outer surface of the female portion (10) to the female channel (20), and an external force can be indirectly applied to the leaf spring (65) via the engaging projection (80) positioned in the opening (OP1) when the engaging projection (80) and the projection receiving portion (85) are engaged.

4. The connector according to claim 3, wherein the opening (OP1) is defined by left and right wall surfaces (85a, 85b) that are spaced apart and facing each other in the width direction of the female portion (10), and the distance between the left and right wall surfaces (85a, 85b) is 1 cm or less.

5. The connector according to claim 3, wherein the female part (10) includes a lower plate (11), an upper plate (12), and a connecting plate (13) that connects the lower plate (11) and the upper plate (12), and the opening (OP1) penetrates the lower plate (11), the upper plate (12), and the connecting plate (13), respectively.

6. The connecting device according to claim 3, wherein the engaging projection (80) includes a lower projection (81) and an upper projection (82) that are spaced apart and facing each other in the vertical direction, and both the lower projection (81) and the upper projection (82) can be positioned within the opening (OP1) without protruding from the opening (OP1).

7. The connector according to claim 6, wherein the female part (10) includes a lower plate (11), an upper plate (12), and a connecting plate (13) connecting the lower plate (11) and the upper plate (12), the connecting plate (13) is provided with at least one guide projection (3) for guiding the movement of the male part (60) along the female channel (20), a lower groove (4p) into which the lower projection (81) is inserted is formed between the guide projection (3) and the lower plate (11), and an upper groove (4q) into which the upper projection (82) is inserted is formed between the guide projection (3) and the upper plate (12).

8. The female part (10) includes a lower plate (11), an upper plate (12), and a connecting plate (13) that connects the lower plate (11) and the upper plate (12). The connector according to claim 3, wherein the connecting plate (13) has at least one inclined surface (5p, 5q) on which the engaging projection (80) slides when the male part (60) is inserted into the female channel (20), causing the leaf spring (65) to bend.

9. The leaf spring (65) has a string connecting portion (68) to which the string is attached, The cord connecting portion (68) includes an internal passage (68a) through which the cord passes, a column (68b) around which the cord is wrapped, and a cord holding portion (68c) that compresses and holds the cord, wherein the internal passage (68a) reaches the outer surface (65a) of the leaf spring (65) and forms an opening (OP2) on the outer surface (65a), and the cord holding portion (68c) and the column (68b) are provided in this order from the opening (OP2) of the leaf spring (65), as described in claim 3.

10. The connector according to claim 9, wherein the female portion (10) does not have a projection that protrudes into the opening (OP2) formed on the outer surface (65a) of the leaf spring (65) by the internal passage (68a).

11. The leaf spring (65) has a string connecting portion (68) to which the string is attached, The main body portion (70) has a string channel (7) that allows the string to extend from the string connecting portion (68) to the rear of the male part (M), The connector according to claim 3, wherein the main body portion (70) includes at least one belt passage (79) through which the string channel (7) is spatially connected, and a rear rod (78r) that defines the belt passage (79) from the rear of the male part (M), and the front surface of the rear rod (78r) includes an inclined surface (78s) that is inclined over substantially the entire thickness of the rear rod (78r).

12. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the female part (10) includes a lower plate (11), an upper plate (12), and a connecting plate (13) that connects the lower plate (11) and the upper plate (12), and the lower plate (11) and the upper plate (12) each have a lower restraining part (11a) and an upper restraining part (12a), thereby preventing the male part (60) from escaping from the female channel (20) through the opening (30).

13. A method for releasing the connection between the male part (M) and the female part (F) in the connector according to claim 1, The process involves inserting a rod-shaped member into the access window (9), thereby directly or indirectly applying an external force to the leaf spring (65) and releasing the engaging projection (80) from the projection receiving portion (85), A method comprising the step of removing the male part (60) from the female channel (20) by lateral pulling.

14. The leaf spring (65) has an outer surface (65a) and an inner surface (65b) that determine the thickness of the leaf spring (65), the engaging projection (80) is provided on the outer surface (65a) of the leaf spring (65), and the projection receiving portion (85) is formed on the female portion (10). The method according to claim 13, wherein the projection receiving portion (85) and the access window (9) are provided at the same location in the width direction of the female portion (10) to form an opening (OP1) that serves as both the projection receiving portion (85) and the access window (9), the opening (OP1) is formed to penetrate the female portion (10) from the outer surface of the female portion (10) to the female channel (20), and an external force is indirectly applied to the leaf spring (65) via the engaging projection (80) positioned in the opening (OP1) when the engaging projection (80) and the projection receiving portion (85) are engaged.

Images