Metal-plastic composite male buckle and its composite buckle assembly

Abstract

The present invention relates to a metal-plastic composite male buckle and its composite buckle assembly. Said composite male buckle comprises a male buckle base and two insertion pins pivotally connected to the male buckle base within a constrained angular range. Said male buckle base has a mounting portion extending and protruding out between the two insertion pins. The front end of the mounting portion is connected with a plastic elastic component. The plastic elastic component has elastic arms continuously extending toward the insertion pins. The composite buckle assembly includes the aforementioned male buckle and the corresponding female buckle that are engaged with each other. Based on such a design, the present invention meets the demand for lightweight composite buckle assemblies with good durability and mechanical strength.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION1. Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of buckles, and in particular to a metal-plastic composite male buckle and its composite buckle assembly.2. Description of Related Art

[0002] A buckle is a connecting component used on straps. Through the interlocking of male and female buckles, straps can be connected in a detachable manner. Generally, based on different materials, buckles can be categorized into metal buckles and plastic buckles, each having distinct advantages: metal buckles offer superior connection strength, while plastic buckles provide lighter weight. However, both exhibit notable limitations. Metal buckles present manufacturing challenges, particularly in the installation of spring components, whereas plastic buckles, despite their lightweight advantage, demonstrate significantly lower connection strength between male and female components compared to metal counterparts, posing fracture risks under high-stress conditions.

[0003] Consequently, metal-plastic composite buckles have emerged in the market, where structural components requiring enhanced strength-such as male buckle bases and insertion pins—employ metallic construction, while a plastic material is used for the parts providing elastic force to the insertion pins. A representative example is the CN109222342A metal-plastic composite buckle disclosed by the applicant, which utilizes elastic arms extending from a centrally mounted plastic spring component to provide elastic tension for the insertion pins. Compared to all-metal counterparts, this configuration achieves dual advantages of weight reduction and simplified assembly process for buckle products.

[0004] However, during the process of further lightweight optimization of buckles, the applicant has identified that the structural configuration of plastic elastic components in the original design imposes constraints on the male buckle architecture, thereby hindering the development of more lightweight configurations within this structural framework.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] To meet the demand for lightweight composite buckles while ensuring satisfactory service life of male buckles within a lightweight structural framework, the present invention provides a metal-plastic composite male buckle and its composite buckle assembly.

[0006] First, the metal-plastic composite male buckle provided by the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] A metal-plastic composite male buckle comprising a male buckle base and two insertion pins pivotally connected to the male buckle base within a constrained angular range, said male buckle base having a mounting portion extending and protruding out between the two insertion pins. The front end of the mounting portion is connected with a plastic elastic component. The plastic elastic component has elastic arms continuously extending toward the insertion pins. In the static state, the elastic arms partially abut against the lateral surfaces of the mounting portion. One end of the elastic arms respectively engages with the insertion pins on the two sides, so that the two insertion pins always tend to move away from each other.

[0008] Under this technical configuration, the protruding mounting portion occupies the most part of the central area of the original male buckle, which can be hollowed out for weight reduction. The corresponding plastic elastic component, integrated with the protruding mounting portion, features a W-shaped arched configuration to meet the demand for providing elastic force to the insertion pins within a limited space. Meanwhile, this structural design induces simultaneous deformation of the elastic arms contacting the mounting portion during operation, thereby effectively distributing stress concentration and ensuring satisfactory service life of the lightweight male buckle.

[0009] Second, the composite metal-plastic buckle assembly provided by the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0010] A composite metal-plastic buckle assembly comprises interlocking male buckle and female buckle, said buckle adopting the above composite male buckle.

[0011] Specifically, the female buckle has an insertion space for the male buckle to insert in. A guide block is configured on the end portion of the insertion pins. The female buckle is provided with a guide slot extending through along the insertion direction on the inner wall of the insertion space. The male buckle is inserted into the female buckle such that the guide block is guided by both side walls of the guide slot to move closer to each other.

[0012] Based on the above, the present invention adopting the aforementioned technical means can achieve the following effects:

[0013] 1. The corresponding structural configuration can meet the demand for lightweight, offering a light male buckle while maintaining satisfactory service life of the male buckle. In addition, the implemented plastic elastic component demonstrates good mechanical strength and durability, providing increased retention force for the insertion pins.

[0014] 2. The assembly between the components becomes easy. The plastic elastic components can be assembled after completion of the assembly of the metallic parts. This methodology significantly streamlines the buckle assembly production workflow, offering improved operational efficiency compared to the assembly of conventional all-metal buckles.

[0015] 3. The design exhibits excellent surface appearance. The outer side of the insertion pins will not be worn easily even after repeated usage. Therefore, the product can have longer service life.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the male buckle according to the invention.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the male buckle according to the invention.

[0018] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the invention showing the connection between the plastic elastic component and the male buckle base.

[0019] FIG. 4 is a front view of the plastic elastic component according to the invention.

[0020] FIG. 5 is a top view of the plastic elastic component according to the invention.

[0021] FIG. 6 is a structural view of the male buckle base according to the invention.

[0022] FIG. 7 is a front view of the buckle assembly according to the invention when the male buckle and female buckle are connected.

[0023] FIG. 8 is a structural view of the female buckle, highlighting the guide slot.

[0024] FIG. 9 is a structural view of the insertion pins according to the invention.

[0025] FIG. 10 is a structural view of the female buckle, highlighting the insertion space.

[0026] FIG. 11 is a structural view of the buckle assembly showing connection between the male buckle and female buckle.

[0027] Description of reference numerals: 1, male buckle base; 2, insertion pins; 3, plastic elastic component; 11, mounting portion; 31, fixing block; 32, elastic arms; 321, deformation arms; 322, abutting arms; 12, positioning column; 311, positioning hole; 13, clamping plate; 14, convex bar; 15, limiting slot; 21, chamber; 4, guide slot; 22, guide block; 5, insertion space; 6, blocking surface; 221, guiding slope; 222, embedding surface ; 223, arc angle; 7, thickening block; 71, introducing slope.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] The present invention is detailed below with reference to FIGS. 1-11.

[0029] The present invention discloses a metal and plastic composite male buckle. Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, it is used for connection with a matching female buckle. As shown in FIG. 1, the composite male buckle comprises a male buckle base 1, insertion pins 2, and a plastic elastic component 3. The male buckle base 1 and the insertion pins 2 are made of metal materials. One side of the male buckle base 1 has a mounting portion 11 with its middle portion protruding outward. One end of each of the two insertion pins 2 is pivotally connected on the male buckle base 1 and is located on the lateral sides of the mounting portion 11. In addition, between the insertion pins 2 and the male buckle base 1, there is a limiting mechanism such that the two insertion pins 2 can only rotate with a certain angular range. The two sides of the mounting portion 11 tilt toward both sides from the front end protruding from the male buckle base 1, such that the mounting portion 11 is roughly formed in a triangular shape. The plastic elastic component 3 is partially fixed on the front end of the mounting portion 11. The two sides of the plastic elastic component 3 respectively abut against the insertion pins 2 on both sides, such that the insertion pins 2 on both sides always have a tendency to move away from each other. In the static state, influenced by the opening angle of the limiting mechanism, the plastic elastic component 3 forces the insertion pins 2 on both sides to be relative stationary at all times. During operation, when the user clenches the insertion pins 2 on both sides, the insertion pins 2 will overcome the elastic force of the plastic elastic component 3 and move close to each other.

[0030] Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the plastic elastic component 3 comprises a fixing block 31 for connection with the mounting portion 11 and elastic arms 32 located on both sides of the fixing block 31. The elastic arms 32 are used to abut against the insertion pins 2 on both sides and provide an elastic force to reset the insertion pins 2. In one feasible embodiment, the elastic arms 32 comprise integrally formed deformation arms 321 and abutting arms 322. One end of the deformation arm 321 is connected on the fixing block 31, whereas the other end of the deformation arm 321 is integrally connected with the abutting arms 322. The deformation arms 321 extend outward from both sides of the fixing block 31, and extend along the outer wall on both sides of the mounting portion 11. The abutting arms 322 extend from the other end of the deformation arms 321 in a direction opposite the extension direction of the deformation arms 321. As a whole, the deformation arms 321 and abutting arms 322 on both sides are connected continuously such that the plastic elastic component 3 forms an arched structure similar to the shape of the letter “W”. It is mounted on the front end of the mounting portion 11 to abut against both sides of the mounting portion 11. The two ends of the abutting arms 322 on the outer side are used to abut against the insertion pins 2 on both sides so as to provide a certain force upon the insertion pins 2.

[0031] When a force is applied on both sides of the insertion pins 2, the insertion pins 2 on both sides will shrink toward the inside, forcing the plastic elastic component 3 to have a certain deformation. Specifically, the part of the abutting arms 322 abutting against the insertion pins 2 will move along the surface of the insertion pins 2 and along the direction away from the male buckle base 1, while the deformation arms 321 as a whole will have a certain bent deformation to provide the required resetting elastic force. The deformation arms 321 will be slightly separated from the mounting portion 11 to meet the demand of deformation of the deformation arms 321. When the external force is removed, the resetting elastic force generated by the deformation arms 321 will force the insertion pins 2 on both sides to expand outward and return to the original state. As can be seen, in the original state, as the deformation arms 321 abut against both sides of the mounting portion 11, they can perfectly support the abutting effect between the abutting arms 322 and the insertion pins 2, so that the strength of the insertion pins 2 in the original state can be ensured. In one preferred embodiment, in the original state, the deformation arms 321 are maintained in a certain deformed state, such that the abutting arms 322 can always apply an elastic force upon the insertion pins 2. Based on this configuration, through cooperation by the limiting mechanism, the insertion pins 2 are always maintained in the original state.

[0032] This kind of W-shaped plastic elastic component 3 can have longer service life, and can satisfy the requirement for sufficient elastic force in a long period of time. In the traditional V-shaped structure, during operation, the tension is always concentrated in the connection position. This will cause early breakage of the V-shaped structure due to material fatigue. With a W-shaped structure, the tension generation during operation will be dispersed to the deformation arms 321. Hence, when the same material is used, the W-shaped structure can have longer service life.

[0033] Further, as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the width A1 of the deformation arms 321 is lower than the width A2 of the abutting arms 322. The thickness B1 of the deformation arms 321 is larger than the thickness B2 of the abutting arms 322. Lower width of the deformation arms 321 can allow easier deformation of the overall deformation arms 321, whereas larger thickness can somewhat increase the structural strength of the deformation arms 321, thus increasing the bending times and service life of the deformation arms 321. On the other hand, with a larger width, the abutting arms 322 themselves will not deform easily. Therefore, the deformation will mainly occur on the deformation arms 321.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the front end of the mounting portion 11 is integrally formed with a positioning column 12. The fixing block 31 is provided with a positioning hole 311 for the positioning column 12 to fit in. The front end of the mounting portion 11 extends along the two sides of the fixing block 31 to form two clamping plates 13. The two clamping plates 13 clamp the fixing block 31. On this basis, on the side facing the fixing block 31, the clamping plate 13 is configured with at least one convex bar 14 to abut against the fixing block 31. On both sides of the mounting portion 11, a limiting slot 15 is provided for the deformation arms 321 to fit in and be limited. During assembly, firstly align the positioning hole 311 on the center of the fixing block 31 to the positioning column 12, and align the elastic arms 32 on both sides to the two sides of the mounting portion 11, then push the fixing block 31 toward the mounting portion 11, so that the fixing block 31 is pressed into the space between the two clamping plates 13. With further tightening by the convex bar 14, the fixing block 31 and mounting portion 11 can be relatively fixed together. This design facilitates quick assembly of the fixing block 31, and allows quick replacement when the plastic elastic component 3 is broken due to fatigue.

[0035] In one preferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the length of the abutting arms 322 is larger than the length of the deformation arms 321, and the abutting arms 322 is extended out from the side of the mounting portion 11 away from the deformation arms 321. Either in the original state or in the squeezed state, because the abutting arms 322 are constantly squeezed by the insertion pins 2 and have a tendency to retract inward, the whole plastic elastic component 3 is forced to have a tendency to approach the mounting portion 11. As a result, the fixing block 31 will not be easily separated from the male buckle base 1. Furthermore, to some degree, this configuration can enhance the abutting effect between the abutting arms 322 and the insertion pins 2.

[0036] Between the two insertion pins 2, an opening is formed on the side away from the male buckle base 1. This opening can allow the retracted plastic elastic component 3 to pass through. With the quick assembly structure of the plastic elastic component 3 and the male buckle base 1, the plastic elastic component 3 can be installed under the condition that the insertion pins 2 and the male buckle base 1 are connected. Usually, because the insertion pins 2 and the male buckle base 1 are made by casting a metallic material, after initial finishing of the components, the insertion pins 2 and male buckle need to be electroplated. This design can allow one-time electroplating after the insertion pins 2 and the male buckle base 1 are assembled before assembly of the plastic elastic component 3, without the need to electroplate the insertion pins 2 and the male buckle base 1 separately. In terms of the electroplating technique, repeated electroplating of multiple components is avoided to save cost. In terms of the structure, as the insertion pins 2 and the male buckle base 1 are usually pivotally connected by a metal rivet, electroplating after assembly can avoid scratch of the products during assembly, and thus enhancing quality rate of the products.

[0037] On the inner side of the insertion pins 2, there is a chamber 21 for the elastic arms 32 to fit in. Due to the chamber 21, the lateral sides of the insertion pins 2 are formed with a thin wall. The distance between inner wall of the insertion pins 2 abutting against the elastic arms 32 is gradually reduced along the direction away from the male buckle base 1, and the end of the insertion pins 2 away from the male buckle base 1 is formed with a tilted guiding face. The abutting arms 322 of the plastic elastic component 3 are housed inside the chamber 21. The clamping plate 13 on the mounting portion 11 also extends toward the peripheral direction to cover the area of the deformation arms 321, so that the plastic elastic component 3 cannot be seen when checking the male buckle from the front side. Looking from the outside, only metal electroplated components are seen. Therefore, the products will have a good sense of quality while meeting the demand for light weight of the insertion pins 2. Further, as demonstrated in the drawing, the male buckle base 1 and the mounting portion 11 occupy the majority of the size of the male buckle, with the aforementioned plastic elastic component 3, a large trapezoidal space can be hollowed out between the mounting portion 11 and the male buckle base 1. Without affecting the structural strength of the male buckle base 1, the male buckle base 1 together with the thin-wall structure of the insertion pins 2 can better meet the demand for lightweight.

[0038] In the embodiment of the present invention, the plastic elastic component 3 can be made of plastic materials such as nylon or POM, whereas the insertion pins 2 and the male buckle base 1 can be made of metallic materials such as zinc alloy or aluminum alloy.

[0039] The present invention also discloses a composite metal-plastic buckle assembly. As shown in FIG. 7, it includes interlocking male buckle and female buckle. The male buckle adopts the aforementioned composite male buckle structure. As demonstrated in the drawing, this structure of male buckle and female buckle is of a smaller size with a large hollowed-out area. The main components (e.g., the plastic elastic component 3 and the insertion pins 2) are concentrated at the X position in the central part of the buckle assembly, with no need for an extra guide structure. As a result, the overall weight of the buckle assembly will be lighter than the conventional composite buckle assembly. When the female buckle and male buckle are assembled, the plastic elastic component 3 is hidden inside.

[0040] Specifically, referring to FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, the female buckle has an insertion space for the male buckle to insert in. On the inner wall of the insertion space, the female buckle is configured with a through guide slot 4 along the insertion direction. The guide slot 4 is located on the two side faces of the inner wall of the female buckle. The side of the guide slot 4 facing the insertion direction of the male buckle is formed with a flared opening. The slot walls on the two sides of guide slot 4 gradually approach each other along the insertion direction of the male buckle. The end of the insertion pins 2 of the male buckle is integrally configured with a guide block 22. In the process of connecting the male buckle with the female buckle, the guide block 22 on the insertion pins 2 will abut against the flared slot wall of the guide slot 4. As the male buckle is inserted, the guide blocks 22 on the insertion pins 2 on both sides will be guided by the guide slot 4 to move close to each other.

[0041] Referring to FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 in combination with FIG. 7, the side of the female buckle away from the insertion direction of the male buckle is provided with an insertion space 5 for insertion of the guide block 22. The guide slot 4 and insertion space 5 are communicated with each other, and the width of the insertion space 5 is larger than the width of the tip end of the guide slot 4, such that, after the guide block 22 passes through the guide slot, under the action of the elastic force from the plastic elastic component 3, the guide block 22 will outward and fit into the insertion space 5. Now, without application of an external force, the guide block 22 cannot move back to the guide slot 4. To enhance the appearance and feel of quality, a blocking surface 6 can be configured on the front side of the female buckle to partially block the insertion space 5, such that the guide block 22 can be blocked by the blocking surface 6, and the guide block 22 cannot be seen from the front side of the female buckle.

[0042] Referring to FIG. 9, furthermore, the guide block 22 has a guiding slope 221 and an embedding surface 222. The guiding slope 221 is located on the side of the guide block 22 away from the male buckle base 1. The embedding surface 222 is located on the side of the guide block 22 close to the male buckle base 1. With the guiding slope 221 and embedding surface 222 of the guide block 22, the guide block 22 is roughly structured in the shape of a triangle. Specifically, at the transition position between the guiding slope 221 and the embedding surface 222, there is an arc angle 223. Specifically, when the guide block 22 just touches the slope at the flared opening of the guide slot, the guiding slope 221 is approximately fitted to the slot wall of the guide slot. When the guide block 22 is embedded into the insertion space 5, the embedding surface 222 is perfectly aligned with the wall of the insertion space 5. Hence, this design provides more stability when the male buckle is inserted and connected with the female buckle. Moreover, when the guide block 22 passes through the guide slot 4, through the abutting between the arc angle 223 of the guide block 22 and the slot wall of the guide slot 4, the contact surface is gradually reduced along the sliding, thus reducing the resistance during the assembly process of the male buckle and female buckle. This design can avoid scratches and damage of the lateral surface of the insertion pins 2 after repeated insertion and removal, thus improving the appearance quality.

[0043] In one embodiment, referring to FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, a guide block 22 is provided on both sides of the same insertion pin 2. Correspondingly, a guide slot 4 is provided on the inner side of the insertion space of the female buckle. On this basis, on the inner wall of insertion space of the female buckle, a thickening block 7 is provided. On the side facing the insertion direction of the male buckle, the thickening block 7 is provided with an introducing slope 71. The thickening block 7 is located on both sides of the guide slot and on the side close to the insertion space 5. Therefore, on the female buckle, there are four thickening blocks 7. To connect the male buckle with the female buckle, each insertion pin 2 will be limited between two corresponding thickening blocks 7, thus enhancing the stability after the male buckle and the female buckle are connected.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0028]The present invention is detailed below with reference to FIGS. 1-11.

[0029]The present invention discloses a metal and plastic composite male buckle. Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, it is used for connection with a matching female buckle. As shown in FIG. 1, the composite male buckle comprises a male buckle base 1, insertion pins 2, and a plastic elastic component 3. The male buckle base 1 and the insertion pins 2 are made of metal materials. One side of the male buckle base 1 has a mounting portion 11 with its middle portion protruding outward. One end of each of the two insertion pins 2 is pivotally connected on the male buckle base 1 and is located on the lateral sides of the mounting portion 11. In addition, between the insertion pins 2 and the male buckle base 1, there is a limiting mechanism such that the two insertion pins 2 can only rotate with a certain angular range. The two sides of the mounting portion 11 tilt toward both sides from the front end protruding from th...

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION1. Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of buckles, and in particular to a metal-plastic composite male buckle and its composite buckle assembly.2. Description of Related Art

[0002] A buckle is a connecting component used on straps. Through the interlocking of male and female buckles, straps can be connected in a detachable manner. Generally, based on different materials, buckles can be categorized into metal buckles and plastic buckles, each having distinct advantages: metal buckles offer superior connection strength, while plastic buckles provide lighter weight. However, both exhibit notable limitations. Metal buckles present manufacturing challenges, particularly in the installation of spring components, whereas plastic buckles, despite their lightweight advantage, demonstrate significantly lower connection strength between male and female components compared to metal counterparts, posing fracture risks under high-stress conditions.

[0003] Consequently, metal-plastic composite buckles have emerged in the market, where structural components requiring enhanced strength-such as male buckle bases and insertion pins—employ metallic construction, while a plastic material is used for the parts providing elastic force to the insertion pins. A representative example is the CN109222342A metal-plastic composite buckle disclosed by the applicant, which utilizes elastic arms extending from a centrally mounted plastic spring component to provide elastic tension for the insertion pins. Compared to all-metal counterparts, this configuration achieves dual advantages of weight reduction and simplified assembly process for buckle products.

[0004] However, during the process of further lightweight optimization of buckles, the applicant has identified that the structural configuration of plastic elastic components in the original design imposes constraints on the male buckle architecture, thereby hindering the development of more lightweight configurations within this structural framework.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] To meet the demand for lightweight composite buckles while ensuring satisfactory service life of male buckles within a lightweight structural framework, the present invention provides a metal-plastic composite male buckle and its composite buckle assembly.

[0006] First, the metal-plastic composite male buckle provided by the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] A metal-plastic composite male buckle comprising a male buckle base and two insertion pins pivotally connected to the male buckle base within a constrained angular range, said male buckle base having a mounting portion extending and protruding out between the two insertion pins. The front end of the mounting portion is connected with a plastic elastic component. The plastic elastic component has elastic arms continuously extending toward the insertion pins. In the static state, the elastic arms partially abut against the lateral surfaces of the mounting portion. One end of the elastic arms respectively engages with the insertion pins on the two sides, so that the two insertion pins always tend to move away from each other.

[0008] Under this technical configuration, the protruding mounting portion occupies the most part of the central area of the original male buckle, which can be hollowed out for weight reduction. The corresponding plastic elastic component, integrated with the protruding mounting portion, features a W-shaped arched configuration to meet the demand for providing elastic force to the insertion pins within a limited space. Meanwhile, this structural design induces simultaneous deformation of the elastic arms contacting the mounting portion during operation, thereby effectively distributing stress concentration and ensuring satisfactory service life of the lightweight male buckle.

[0009] Second, the composite metal-plastic buckle assembly provided by the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0010] A composite metal-plastic buckle assembly comprises interlocking male buckle and female buckle, said buckle adopting the above composite male buckle.

[0011] Specifically, the female buckle has an insertion space for the male buckle to insert in. A guide block is configured on the end portion of the insertion pins. The female buckle is provided with a guide slot extending through along the insertion direction on the inner wall of the insertion space. The male buckle is inserted into the female buckle such that the guide block is guided by both side walls of the guide slot to move closer to each other.

[0012] Based on the above, the present invention adopting the aforementioned technical means can achieve the following effects:

[0013] 1. The corresponding structural configuration can meet the demand for lightweight, offering a light male buckle while maintaining satisfactory service life of the male buckle. In addition, the implemented plastic elastic component demonstrates good mechanical strength and durability, providing increased retention force for the insertion pins.

[0014] 2. The assembly between the components becomes easy. The plastic elastic components can be assembled after completion of the assembly of the metallic parts. This methodology significantly streamlines the buckle assembly production workflow, offering improved operational efficiency compared to the assembly of conventional all-metal buckles.

[0015] 3. The design exhibits excellent surface appearance. The outer side of the insertion pins will not be worn easily even after repeated usage. Therefore, the product can have longer service life.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the male buckle according to the invention.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the male buckle according to the invention.

[0018] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the invention showing the connection between the plastic elastic component and the male buckle base.

[0019] FIG. 4 is a front view of the plastic elastic component according to the invention.

[0020] FIG. 5 is a top view of the plastic elastic component according to the invention.

[0021] FIG. 6 is a structural view of the male buckle base according to the invention.

[0022] FIG. 7 is a front view of the buckle assembly according to the invention when the male buckle and female buckle are connected.

[0023] FIG. 8 is a structural view of the female buckle, highlighting the guide slot.

[0024] FIG. 9 is a structural view of the insertion pins according to the invention.

[0025] FIG. 10 is a structural view of the female buckle, highlighting the insertion space.

[0026] FIG. 11 is a structural view of the buckle assembly showing connection between the male buckle and female buckle.

[0027] Description of reference numerals: 1, male buckle base; 2, insertion pins; 3, plastic elastic component; 11, mounting portion; 31, fixing block; 32, elastic arms; 321, deformation arms; 322, abutting arms; 12, positioning column; 311, positioning hole; 13, clamping plate; 14, convex bar; 15, limiting slot; 21, chamber; 4, guide slot; 22, guide block; 5, insertion space; 6, blocking surface; 221, guiding slope; 222, embedding surface ; 223, arc angle; 7, thickening block; 71, introducing slope.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] The present invention is detailed below with reference to FIGS. 1-11.

[0029] The present invention discloses a metal and plastic composite male buckle. Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, it is used for connection with a matching female buckle. As shown in FIG. 1, the composite male buckle comprises a male buckle base 1, insertion pins 2, and a plastic elastic component 3. The male buckle base 1 and the insertion pins 2 are made of metal materials. One side of the male buckle base 1 has a mounting portion 11 with its middle portion protruding outward. One end of each of the two insertion pins 2 is pivotally connected on the male buckle base 1 and is located on the lateral sides of the mounting portion 11. In addition, between the insertion pins 2 and the male buckle base 1, there is a limiting mechanism such that the two insertion pins 2 can only rotate with a certain angular range. The two sides of the mounting portion 11 tilt toward both sides from the front end protruding from the male buckle base 1, such that the mounting portion 11 is roughly formed in a triangular shape. The plastic elastic component 3 is partially fixed on the front end of the mounting portion 11. The two sides of the plastic elastic component 3 respectively abut against the insertion pins 2 on both sides, such that the insertion pins 2 on both sides always have a tendency to move away from each other. In the static state, influenced by the opening angle of the limiting mechanism, the plastic elastic component 3 forces the insertion pins 2 on both sides to be relative stationary at all times. During operation, when the user clenches the insertion pins 2 on both sides, the insertion pins 2 will overcome the elastic force of the plastic elastic component 3 and move close to each other.

[0030] Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the plastic elastic component 3 comprises a fixing block 31 for connection with the mounting portion 11 and elastic arms 32 located on both sides of the fixing block 31. The elastic arms 32 are used to abut against the insertion pins 2 on both sides and provide an elastic force to reset the insertion pins 2. In one feasible embodiment, the elastic arms 32 comprise integrally formed deformation arms 321 and abutting arms 322. One end of the deformation arm 321 is connected on the fixing block 31, whereas the other end of the deformation arm 321 is integrally connected with the abutting arms 322. The deformation arms 321 extend outward from both sides of the fixing block 31, and extend along the outer wall on both sides of the mounting portion 11. The abutting arms 322 extend from the other end of the deformation arms 321 in a direction opposite the extension direction of the deformation arms 321. As a whole, the deformation arms 321 and abutting arms 322 on both sides are connected continuously such that the plastic elastic component 3 forms an arched structure similar to the shape of the letter “W”. It is mounted on the front end of the mounting portion 11 to abut against both sides of the mounting portion 11. The two ends of the abutting arms 322 on the outer side are used to abut against the insertion pins 2 on both sides so as to provide a certain force upon the insertion pins 2.

[0031] When a force is applied on both sides of the insertion pins 2, the insertion pins 2 on both sides will shrink toward the inside, forcing the plastic elastic component 3 to have a certain deformation. Specifically, the part of the abutting arms 322 abutting against the insertion pins 2 will move along the surface of the insertion pins 2 and along the direction away from the male buckle base 1, while the deformation arms 321 as a whole will have a certain bent deformation to provide the required resetting elastic force. The deformation arms 321 will be slightly separated from the mounting portion 11 to meet the demand of deformation of the deformation arms 321. When the external force is removed, the resetting elastic force generated by the deformation arms 321 will force the insertion pins 2 on both sides to expand outward and return to the original state. As can be seen, in the original state, as the deformation arms 321 abut against both sides of the mounting portion 11, they can perfectly support the abutting effect between the abutting arms 322 and the insertion pins 2, so that the strength of the insertion pins 2 in the original state can be ensured. In one preferred embodiment, in the original state, the deformation arms 321 are maintained in a certain deformed state, such that the abutting arms 322 can always apply an elastic force upon the insertion pins 2. Based on this configuration, through cooperation by the limiting mechanism, the insertion pins 2 are always maintained in the original state.

[0032] This kind of W-shaped plastic elastic component 3 can have longer service life, and can satisfy the requirement for sufficient elastic force in a long period of time. In the traditional V-shaped structure, during operation, the tension is always concentrated in the connection position. This will cause early breakage of the V-shaped structure due to material fatigue. With a W-shaped structure, the tension generation during operation will be dispersed to the deformation arms 321. Hence, when the same material is used, the W-shaped structure can have longer service life.

[0033] Further, as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the width A1 of the deformation arms 321 is lower than the width A2 of the abutting arms 322. The thickness B1 of the deformation arms 321 is larger than the thickness B2 of the abutting arms 322. Lower width of the deformation arms 321 can allow easier deformation of the overall deformation arms 321, whereas larger thickness can somewhat increase the structural strength of the deformation arms 321, thus increasing the bending times and service life of the deformation arms 321. On the other hand, with a larger width, the abutting arms 322 themselves will not deform easily. Therefore, the deformation will mainly occur on the deformation arms 321.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the front end of the mounting portion 11 is integrally formed with a positioning column 12. The fixing block 31 is provided with a positioning hole 311 for the positioning column 12 to fit in. The front end of the mounting portion 11 extends along the two sides of the fixing block 31 to form two clamping plates 13. The two clamping plates 13 clamp the fixing block 31. On this basis, on the side facing the fixing block 31, the clamping plate 13 is configured with at least one convex bar 14 to abut against the fixing block 31. On both sides of the mounting portion 11, a limiting slot 15 is provided for the deformation arms 321 to fit in and be limited. During assembly, firstly align the positioning hole 311 on the center of the fixing block 31 to the positioning column 12, and align the elastic arms 32 on both sides to the two sides of the mounting portion 11, then push the fixing block 31 toward the mounting portion 11, so that the fixing block 31 is pressed into the space between the two clamping plates 13. With further tightening by the convex bar 14, the fixing block 31 and mounting portion 11 can be relatively fixed together. This design facilitates quick assembly of the fixing block 31, and allows quick replacement when the plastic elastic component 3 is broken due to fatigue.

[0035] In one preferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the length of the abutting arms 322 is larger than the length of the deformation arms 321, and the abutting arms 322 is extended out from the side of the mounting portion 11 away from the deformation arms 321. Either in the original state or in the squeezed state, because the abutting arms 322 are constantly squeezed by the insertion pins 2 and have a tendency to retract inward, the whole plastic elastic component 3 is forced to have a tendency to approach the mounting portion 11. As a result, the fixing block 31 will not be easily separated from the male buckle base 1. Furthermore, to some degree, this configuration can enhance the abutting effect between the abutting arms 322 and the insertion pins 2.

[0036] Between the two insertion pins 2, an opening is formed on the side away from the male buckle base 1. This opening can allow the retracted plastic elastic component 3 to pass through. With the quick assembly structure of the plastic elastic component 3 and the male buckle base 1, the plastic elastic component 3 can be installed under the condition that the insertion pins 2 and the male buckle base 1 are connected. Usually, because the insertion pins 2 and the male buckle base 1 are made by casting a metallic material, after initial finishing of the components, the insertion pins 2 and male buckle need to be electroplated. This design can allow one-time electroplating after the insertion pins 2 and the male buckle base 1 are assembled before assembly of the plastic elastic component 3, without the need to electroplate the insertion pins 2 and the male buckle base 1 separately. In terms of the electroplating technique, repeated electroplating of multiple components is avoided to save cost. In terms of the structure, as the insertion pins 2 and the male buckle base 1 are usually pivotally connected by a metal rivet, electroplating after assembly can avoid scratch of the products during assembly, and thus enhancing quality rate of the products.

[0037] On the inner side of the insertion pins 2, there is a chamber 21 for the elastic arms 32 to fit in. Due to the chamber 21, the lateral sides of the insertion pins 2 are formed with a thin wall. The distance between inner wall of the insertion pins 2 abutting against the elastic arms 32 is gradually reduced along the direction away from the male buckle base 1, and the end of the insertion pins 2 away from the male buckle base 1 is formed with a tilted guiding face. The abutting arms 322 of the plastic elastic component 3 are housed inside the chamber 21. The clamping plate 13 on the mounting portion 11 also extends toward the peripheral direction to cover the area of the deformation arms 321, so that the plastic elastic component 3 cannot be seen when checking the male buckle from the front side. Looking from the outside, only metal electroplated components are seen. Therefore, the products will have a good sense of quality while meeting the demand for light weight of the insertion pins 2. Further, as demonstrated in the drawing, the male buckle base 1 and the mounting portion 11 occupy the majority of the size of the male buckle, with the aforementioned plastic elastic component 3, a large trapezoidal space can be hollowed out between the mounting portion 11 and the male buckle base 1. Without affecting the structural strength of the male buckle base 1, the male buckle base 1 together with the thin-wall structure of the insertion pins 2 can better meet the demand for lightweight.

[0038] In the embodiment of the present invention, the plastic elastic component 3 can be made of plastic materials such as nylon or POM, whereas the insertion pins 2 and the male buckle base 1 can be made of metallic materials such as zinc alloy or aluminum alloy.

[0039] The present invention also discloses a composite metal-plastic buckle assembly. As shown in FIG. 7, it includes interlocking male buckle and female buckle. The male buckle adopts the aforementioned composite male buckle structure. As demonstrated in the drawing, this structure of male buckle and female buckle is of a smaller size with a large hollowed-out area. The main components (e.g., the plastic elastic component 3 and the insertion pins 2) are concentrated at the X position in the central part of the buckle assembly, with no need for an extra guide structure. As a result, the overall weight of the buckle assembly will be lighter than the conventional composite buckle assembly. When the female buckle and male buckle are assembled, the plastic elastic component 3 is hidden inside.

[0040] Specifically, referring to FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, the female buckle has an insertion space for the male buckle to insert in. On the inner wall of the insertion space, the female buckle is configured with a through guide slot 4 along the insertion direction. The guide slot 4 is located on the two side faces of the inner wall of the female buckle. The side of the guide slot 4 facing the insertion direction of the male buckle is formed with a flared opening. The slot walls on the two sides of guide slot 4 gradually approach each other along the insertion direction of the male buckle. The end of the insertion pins 2 of the male buckle is integrally configured with a guide block 22. In the process of connecting the male buckle with the female buckle, the guide block 22 on the insertion pins 2 will abut against the flared slot wall of the guide slot 4. As the male buckle is inserted, the guide blocks 22 on the insertion pins 2 on both sides will be guided by the guide slot 4 to move close to each other.

[0041] Referring to FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 in combination with FIG. 7, the side of the female buckle away from the insertion direction of the male buckle is provided with an insertion space 5 for insertion of the guide block 22. The guide slot 4 and insertion space 5 are communicated with each other, and the width of the insertion space 5 is larger than the width of the tip end of the guide slot 4, such that, after the guide block 22 passes through the guide slot, under the action of the elastic force from the plastic elastic component 3, the guide block 22 will outward and fit into the insertion space 5. Now, without application of an external force, the guide block 22 cannot move back to the guide slot 4. To enhance the appearance and feel of quality, a blocking surface 6 can be configured on the front side of the female buckle to partially block the insertion space 5, such that the guide block 22 can be blocked by the blocking surface 6, and the guide block 22 cannot be seen from the front side of the female buckle.

[0042] Referring to FIG. 9, furthermore, the guide block 22 has a guiding slope 221 and an embedding surface 222. The guiding slope 221 is located on the side of the guide block 22 away from the male buckle base 1. The embedding surface 222 is located on the side of the guide block 22 close to the male buckle base 1. With the guiding slope 221 and embedding surface 222 of the guide block 22, the guide block 22 is roughly structured in the shape of a triangle. Specifically, at the transition position between the guiding slope 221 and the embedding surface 222, there is an arc angle 223. Specifically, when the guide block 22 just touches the slope at the flared opening of the guide slot, the guiding slope 221 is approximately fitted to the slot wall of the guide slot. When the guide block 22 is embedded into the insertion space 5, the embedding surface 222 is perfectly aligned with the wall of the insertion space 5. Hence, this design provides more stability when the male buckle is inserted and connected with the female buckle. Moreover, when the guide block 22 passes through the guide slot 4, through the abutting between the arc angle 223 of the guide block 22 and the slot wall of the guide slot 4, the contact surface is gradually reduced along the sliding, thus reducing the resistance during the assembly process of the male buckle and female buckle. This design can avoid scratches and damage of the lateral surface of the insertion pins 2 after repeated insertion and removal, thus improving the appearance quality.

[0043] In one embodiment, referring to FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, a guide block 22 is provided on both sides of the same insertion pin 2. Correspondingly, a guide slot 4 is provided on the inner side of the insertion space of the female buckle. On this basis, on the inner wall of insertion space of the female buckle, a thickening block 7 is provided. On the side facing the insertion direction of the male buckle, the thickening block 7 is provided with an introducing slope 71. The thickening block 7 is located on both sides of the guide slot and on the side close to the insertion space 5. Therefore, on the female buckle, there are four thickening blocks 7. To connect the male buckle with the female buckle, each insertion pin 2 will be limited between two corresponding thickening blocks 7, thus enhancing the stability after the male buckle and the female buckle are connected.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0028]The present invention is detailed below with reference to FIGS. 1-11.

[0029]The present invention discloses a metal and plastic composite male buckle. Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, it is used for connection with a matching female buckle. As shown in FIG. 1, the composite male buckle comprises a male buckle base 1, insertion pins 2, and a plastic elastic component 3. The male buckle base 1 and the insertion pins 2 are made of metal materials. One side of the male buckle base 1 has a mounting portion 11 with its middle portion protruding outward. One end of each of the two insertion pins 2 is pivotally connected on the male buckle base 1 and is located on the lateral sides of the mounting portion 11. In addition, between the insertion pins 2 and the male buckle base 1, there is a limiting mechanism such that the two insertion pins 2 can only rotate with a certain angular range. The two sides of the mounting portion 11 tilt toward both sides from the front end protruding from th...

Claims

1. A metal and plastic composite male buckle, comprising a male buckle base and two insertion pins pivotally connected to the male buckle base within a constrained angular range, characterized in that: said male buckle base has a mounting portion extending and protruding out between the two insertion pins, the front end of the mounting portion is connected with a plastic elastic component, the plastic elastic component has elastic arms continuously extending toward the insertion pins; in the static state, the elastic arms partially abut against the lateral surfaces of the mounting portion, one end of the elastic arms respectively engages with the insertion pins on the two sides, so that the two insertion pins always tend to move away from each other.

2. The metal and plastic composite male buckle defined in claim 1, wherein said elastic arms include integrally formed deformation arms and abutting arms, said deformation arms extend from the center of the plastic elastic component toward both sides and abut against the two sides of the mounting portion, said abutting arms extend from one end of the deformation arms toward the opposite direction and abut against the insertion pins.

3. The metal and plastic composite male buckle defined in claim 2, wherein said deformation arms have a width less than that of the abutting arms, and a thickness larger than that of the abutting arms.

4. The metal and plastic composite male buckle defined in claim 2, wherein said mounting portion is configured with limiting slots on both sides for the deformation arms to fit in.

5. The metal and plastic composite male buckle defined in claim 2, wherein said abutting arms have a length larger than that of the deformation arms, and said abutting arms extend out from one side of the deformation arms away from the mounting portion.

6. The metal and plastic composite male buckle defined in claim 2, wherein said insertion pins have a chamber for the elastic arms to fit in, and said abutting arms are housed inside the chamber.

7. The metal and plastic composite male buckle defined in claim 1, wherein the distance between the inner walls of the insertion pins abutting the elastic arms is gradually reduced along the direction away from the male buckle base.

8. The metal and plastic composite male buckle defined in claim 1, wherein said plastic elastic component further includes a fixing block, the two sides of the elastic arms are connected with the two sides of the fixing block, the front end of the mounting portion extends out of the two clamping plates, and the fixing block is clamped between the two clamping plates.

9. The metal and plastic composite male buckle defined in claim 8, wherein said clamping plate is provided with a plurality of convex bars abutting against the fixing block on the side facing the fixing block.

10. The metal and plastic composite male buckle defined in claim 8, wherein said mounting portion is provided with a positioning column fitting into the fixing block.

11. The metal and plastic composite male buckle defined in claim 1, wherein the distance between the two sides of said mounting portion is gradually reduced along the direction away from the male buckle base.

12. The metal and plastic composite male buckle defined in claim 1, wherein the distance of the opening between the two insertion pins allows passage by the plastic elastic component in a compressed state.

13. The metal and plastic composite male buckle defined in claim 1, wherein there is a trapezoidal space between said mounting portion and male buckle base.

14. The metal and plastic composite male buckle defined in claim 1, wherein said plastic elastic component is made of plastic materials such as nylon or POM.

15. The metal and plastic composite male buckle defined in claim 1, wherein said insertion pins and the male buckle base are made of metallic materials such as zinc alloy or aluminum alloy.

16. A composite metal-plastic buckle assembly, including interlocking male buckle and female buckle, characterized in that: said male buckle adopts the composite male buckle defined in claim 1.

17. The composite metal-plastic buckle assembly defined in claim 16, wherein said female buckle has insertion space for the male buckle to insert in, the end portion of the insertion pins is configured with a guide block, the female buckle is provided with a guide slot extending through along the insertion direction on the inner wall of the insertion space, the male buckle is inserted into the female buckle such that the guide block is guided by both side walls of the guide slot to move closer to each other.

18. The metal and plastic composite male buckle defined in claim 6, wherein the distance between the inner walls of the insertion pins abutting the elastic arms is gradually reduced along the direction away from the male buckle base.

Images