FASTENER FOR WEARABLE ACCESSORY

Abstract

A fastener for accessories includes a male part and a female part. The female part is a crocodile clip, which includes a pair of jaw members operable to open/close by a spring force. The fastener for accessories includes a first attraction part and a second attraction part. The first attraction part is located at an inner space in the pair of the jaw members. The second attraction part is located at the front part of the locking part. The first attraction part is located at either one of the jaw members. In addition, a holder, into which the second attraction part of the locking part is inserted, is placed in front of the first attraction part located in the crocodile clip.

Claims

1. A fastener for accessories, which engages a female part located at one end of a chain accessory with a male part located at another end side of the chain accessory to lock them: wherein the female part and the male part comprise an attraction part and an attraction part respectively; wherein the attraction part and the attraction part have a part of a pair of magnets respectively or have a magnetic part and a metal part attracted to each other respectively; wherein the attraction part and the attraction part are located in a position to guide the female part and the male part to a correct position; wherein the female part is a crocodile clip comprising a pair of jaw members, which are able to open/close by a spring force; wherein the male part is a locking part, which is inserted and locked in a space between the pair of jaw members when they are in an open state; wherein the attraction part is located in an inner space of the pair of the jaw members; wherein the crocodile clip comprises the pair of the jaw members; wherein the attraction part is located at the front part of the locking part; wherein the attraction part, which is located in the crocodile clip, is set to either one of the pair of the jaw members; wherein the fastener for accessories comprises a holder, into which the attraction part of the locking part is inserted, that is placed in front of the attraction part; wherein the holder is located in one jaw member of a pair of the jaw members and an inner surface of the holder forms a guide surface, which is in almost parallel to the jaw member; and wherein the locking part slides along the guide surface of the holder when engaged/disengaged.

2. The fastener for accessories according to claim 1, wherein an opening of the holder is directed towards a lateral direction, provided that an opening of the crocodile clip is directed towards a lateral direction; and wherein the holder forms a guide surface, which guides a horizontal slide of the locking part in an inner space of the holder.

3. The fastener for accessories according to claim 2, wherein the holder is a cylindrical holder, into which the cylindrical-locking part can be inserted.

4. The fastener for accessories according to claim 3, wherein the guide surface is a continuous surface comprising an inner surface of the cylindrical holder and a notch surface, which is a semicircular insertion and is formed at the jaw member out of the pair of jaw members); and wherein the inner surface of the cylindrical holder is on a same surface of the insertion.

5. The fastener for accessories according to claim 3, wherein a bottom half of the opening side of the cylindrical holder is interconnected with the semicircular insertion, which is formed at the jaw member out of the pair of the jaw members; wherein a top half of the opening side of the cylindrical holder is engaged/disengaged with the jaw member out of the pair of the jaw members; and wherein a stopping part is placed at a tip of the said jaw member.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a fastener for accessories according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] FIG. 2 shows an exploded perspective view of a crocodile clip comprising the fastener for accessories.

[0023] FIG. 3 shows a view for explaining a state of disengagement of the crocodile clip and a locking part comprising the fastener for accessories.

[0024] FIG. 4 shows a view for explaining an engagement state of the crocodile clip and the locking member.

[0025] FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of a fastener according to Reference 1.

[0026] FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of said fastener.

[0027] FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of a fastener according to Reference 2.

[0028] FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of a fastener according to Reference 1.

[0029] FIG. 9 shows a cross-sectional view of a fastener according to Reference 2.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Embodiment

[0030] Hereinafter referring to the drawings, the embodiment of a fastener for accessories according to the present invention will be explained. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a fastener for accessories (F) according to this embodiment comprises a male part (1) and a female part (5). The female part (5) is a crocodile clip (5), which comprises a pair of jaw members (6 and 7) operable to open/close by a spring force. The male part (1) is a locking part (1), which is inserted in a space between the pair of jaw members (6 and 7) in an open state, and which is locked between the jaw members (6 and 7).

[0031] An attraction part (14) is located at an inner space in the pair of the jaw members (6 and 7). The crocodile clip (5) comprises the pair of the jaw members (6,7). Another attraction part (2) is located at the front part of the locking part (1). The attraction part (14) is located at either one of the jaw members (in this embodiment, the jaw member 7). In addition, a holder (13), into which the attraction part (2) of the locking part (1) is inserted, is placed in front of the attraction part (14) located in the crocodile clip (5). Herein, in this embodiment, a part that can guide to a correct locking position means that a pair of attraction parts is located to the position where the female part (5) and the male part (1) are to be engaged smoothly. The attraction part (2) and (14) are such as a pair of magnetic parts comprising N and S poles.

[0032] Herein, the structure of the holder (13) will be explained by referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. The holder (13) is a cylindrical holder (13), into which the cylindrical-locking part (1) can be inserted. As shown in FIG. 3, an opening of the holder (13) is directed towards a lateral direction, provided that an opening (10) of the crocodile clip (5) is directed towards a lateral direction. As shown in the figures, the cylindrical holder (13) has a certain thickness. One opening side of the cylindrical holder (13) touches (or formed together with) the attraction part (14), and the bottom half of the other opening side of the cylindrical holder (13) is interconnected with a semicircular insertion (10), which is formed at the jaw member (7). With this configuration, a guide surface (G) is formed to make the locking part (1) slide horizontally and to guide the locking part (1) into the inner space (16) of the holder (13), wherein the locking part (1) is inserted from outside. Furthermore, the upper half of said other opening of the cylindrical holder (13) engages/disengages the other jaw member (6) of the pair jaw members (6,7), and a stopping part (12) is present at the tip of the jaw member (6).

[0033] As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the guide surface (G) is a continuous surface comprising an inner surface of the cylindrical holder (13) and a notch surface (7a), which is a semicircular insertion and is formed at the jaw member (7) out of the pair of jaw members (6,7). Herein, this continuous surface can be either a connection surface of the inner surface of the cylindrical holder (13) and the notch surface (7a) or an integrally formed surface of these. With this configuration, when the crocodile clip (5) opens to the diameter length of the attraction part (2) of the locking part (1), the attraction part (2) can smoothly be inserted into the inner space (16) of the cylindrical holder (13) without being disturbed by any obstacles. As a result of this, the locking part (1) as a male part can be smoothly engaged with the crocodile clip (5) as a female.

[0034] Next, the insertion of the fastener for accessories (F) will be explained by referring to FIG. 3. When the male part (1) and the female part (5) are engaged, the rear part of the crocodile clip (5) is pushed to open the opening (10), then the locking part (1) as a male part has to be placed in front of the opening (10) of the crocodile clip (5). Afterwards, the locking part (1) is inserted into the crocodile clip (5) by making use of a magnetic power.

[0035] Next, an engagement condition of the fastener for accessories (F) will be explained by referring to FIG. 4. The crocodile clip (5) opens by pushing the rear part of the crocodile clip (5) to the inner direction against the biased spring force when the crocodile clip (5) is in a closed condition. The front of the locking part (1) comprises the attraction part (2). The rear part of the locking part (1) has the neck part (3), which has a thinner diameter than the attraction part (2). As shown in FIG. 4, in a case when the male part (1) and the female part (5) are engaged, the locking part (1) as a male is inserted into the crocodile clip (5) as a female and engaged by the influence of both magnets. After the attraction part (2) of the locking part (1) has been inserted into the inner space (16) of the holder (13), the fingers, which are pressing to the rear part of the crocodile clip (5), will be released so that the stopping part (12) at the tip of the jaw member (6) bites and engages with the neck part (3) of the locking part (1).

[0036] Herein, the inner space (16) of the holder (13) is better to be a bit larger than the attraction part (2), and it might be better to have a gap between the holder (13) and the attraction part (2). In addition, the stopping part (12) can be any shape operable to engage the locking part (1). It doesn't matter whether there is a gap between the stopping part (12) and the crocodile clip (5). In the figures, the stopping part (12) is set at one side of jaw member part (6) out of the two jaw members (6,7), and the space between the diameter of the inner space (16) and the attraction part (2) is as less as possible, by having almost the same diameter of the inner space (16) and the attraction part (2). However, it could be possible to have a large space between the diameter of the inner space (16) and the attraction part (2), while making the diameter of the inner space (16) larger than the diameter of the attraction part (2), and while making the stopping parts at both end sides of the jaw member (6) and the jaw member (7).

[0037] When engaged, at least one part of the attraction part (2) of the male part (1) is inserted into the inner space (16) of the holder (13). It is better to have a slight gap between the holder (13) and the attraction part (2).

[0038] As mentioned above, in this embodiment, a fastener for accessories (F), which engages a female part (5) located at one end of a chain accessory with a male part (1) located at another end side of the chain accessory to lock them: wherein the female part (5) and the male part (1) comprise an attraction part (14) and an attraction part (2) respectively; wherein the attraction part (2) and the attraction part (14) have a part of a pair of magnets respectively or have a magnetic part and a metal part attracted to each other respectively; wherein the attraction part (2) and the attraction part (14) are located in a position to guide the female part (5) and the male part (1) to a correct position; wherein the female part (5) is a crocodile clip (5) comprising a pair of jaw members (6, 7), which are able to open/close by a spring force; wherein the male part (1) is a locking part (1), which is inserted and locked in a space between the pair of jaw members (6,7) when they are in an open state; wherein the attraction part (14) is located in an inner space of the pair of the jaw members (6,7); wherein the crocodile clip (5) comprises the pair of the jaw members (6,7); wherein the attraction part (2) is located at the front part of the locking part (1); wherein the attraction part (14), which is located in the crocodile clip (5), is set to either one of the pair of the jaw members (6,7) (in this Embodiment, the jaw member (7)); and wherein the fastener for accessories (F) comprises a holder (13), into which the attraction part (2) of the locking part (1) is inserted, that is placed in front of the attraction part (14).

[0039] With this configuration, in terms of the fastener for accessories (F) according to this Embodiment, the diameter of the holder (13) of the crocodile clip (5) cannot be widen, even when the engaged/disengaged force works from any direction towards the attraction part (2). With this configuration, the engagement between the male part (1) and the female part (5) cannot be released by accident, since this configuration can prevent the attraction part (2) of the male part (1) from widening either one of the stopping part (12) located at the tip of the jaw member (6) of the crocodile clip (5) or the opening (10). In other words, the locking part (1) as a male cannot be disengaged from the crocodile clip (5) as a female part by accident, even if the locking part (1) is pulled to any directions.

[0040] Furthermore, the jaw member (7), which is one of the jaw members of the fastener for accessories (F), forms the guide surface (G) that certainly guides the locking part (1) into the inner space (16) of the holder (13). With this configuration, in a case when it is hard to rely on a visual inspection such as at the back of his/her neck, the guide surface (G) can certainly guide the locking part (1) as a male into the inner space (16) of the cylindrical holder (13), which is held in the crocodile clip (5) as a female part, so that very smooth engagement can be achieved. Furthermore, when engaged/disengaged, the same as mentioned above, if the opening (10) opens to the diameter length of the attraction part (2) of the locking part (1), the locking part (1) can be engaged/disengaged smoothly without contacting the stopping part (13), even when the locking part (1) is pulled to any directions.

[0041] Furthermore, the crocodile clip (5) comprises the spring (15), which is biased to the opening direction. However, the engagement can be achieved without the strong spring (15). In this case, the opening (10) can be opened by pinching gently the rear part of the crocodile clip (5) to the closing direction. Therefore, the fastener for accessories (F) can be smaller and can be easily engaged/disengaged by pinching the rear parts lightly. In other words, even if the spring force inside the crocodile clip (5) is weak, the locking part (1) as a male part cannot be easily disengaged when the locking part (1) is pulled to any directions. In addition, when the rear part of the crocodile clip (5) is pinched lightly, engagement/disengagement can be easily achieved. Herein, the crocodile clip (5) comprises a pair of the jaw members (6,7) operable to pinch the engagement part of the locking part (1), wherein the jaw members (6,7) are rotatably connected by a spindle. This spindle, which is set between these jaw members (6,7), forces to shift from the opening state to the closing state of the tips of the jaw members (6,7) (which is the engagement part with the locking part (1)).

[0042] It is to be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modified examples, and various modifications are possible within the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the attraction part (2) located at the front of the locking part (1) is not always located at the front. It can be placed near the front part, which is influenced by the magnetic power of the attraction part (14). In other words, the locking part (1) can be the shape operable to be inserted one portion or all portions of the locking part (1) into the inner space (16) of the holder (13). Furthermore, the shape of the holder (13) does not always have a cylindrical shape. It can be a shape operable to hold a part or the whole parts of the locking part (1).

NUMERICAL REFERENCES

[0043] 1 male part (locking part) [0044] 2 magnet (attraction part) [0045] 3 neck part [0046] 4 end of a chain [0047] 5 female part (crocodile clip) [0048] 6,7 jaw member [0049] 7a notch surface [0050] 8 connection part connecting a chain [0051] 9 spindle [0052] 10 insertion (opening) [0053] 11 end of a chain [0054] 12 stopping part [0055] 13 holder (cylindrical holder) [0056] 14 attraction part (magnet) [0057] 15 spring [0058] 16 inner space (space for being inserted a male magnet or an attraction part) [0059] 17 a part of a holder or Guide part or base [0060] F fastener for accessories [0061] G guide surface