Buckle

Abstract

A buckle including: a male buckle member; a female buckle member; locking and unlocking means locked and unlocked by a relative sliding action of the male buckle member and the female buckle member; and a releasing means for unlocking the locking and unlocking means by sliding the male buckle member and the female buckle member in a release direction.

Claims

1. A buckle comprising: a male buckle member having a first magnet buried or received in the middle part thereof; a female buckle member coupled with and uncoupled from the male buckle member in a sliding manner and having a second magnet buried or received in the middle part thereof; locking and unlocking means respectively disposed at the male buckle member and the female buckle member to be locked or unlocked by a relative sliding action of the male buckle member and the female buckle member; and releasing means respectively disposed at the male buckle member and the female buckle member to slide the male buckle member and the female buckle member in a release direction so that the locking and unlocking means are unlocked, wherein the male buckle member comprises: a male buckle plate type part having a first magnet mounting part in which the first magnet is buried or received to be fixed; and a strap connection part formed at an end portion of the male buckle plate type part so that a belt or a strap is connected, wherein the female buckle member comprises: a female buckle plate type part having a through hole part formed in one side and a second magnet mounting part formed at the other side so that the second magnet is buried or received to be fixed therein; and side wall parts protruding from both sides of the female buckle plate type part, and wherein the locking and unlocking means respectively comprise: locking and unlocking coupling parts protruding from both sides of the bottom surface of the male buckle plate type part; and locking and unlocking coupled parts formed at both sides of the bottom surface of the female buckle plate type part so that the locking and unlocking coupling parts and the locking and unlocking coupled parts are coupled with each other to be locked and unlocked depending on a relative back-and-forth sliding action thereof, wherein the locking and unlocking coupling parts are protrusions formed at both sides of the male buckle plate type part, and the protrusions are formed in a right-angled triangle of which the inclined plane faces the outside when being viewed from the rear side and have locking protrusions formed at the bottom ends thereof, and wherein the locking and unlocking coupled parts comprise: through holes formed at both sides of the female buckle plate type part; and retaining plates horizontally protruding from the inside of the through holes, having upper end edges formed to correspond to the inclined surfaces of the locking protrusions of the locking and unlocking coupling parts, and being inserted into the locking and unlocking coupling parts.

2. An article having the buckle according to claim 1.

3. A buckle comprising: a male buckle member having a first magnet buried or received in the middle part thereof; a female buckle member coupled with and uncoupled from the male buckle member in a sliding manner and having a second magnet buried or received in the middle part thereof; locking and unlocking means respectively disposed at the male buckle member and the female buckle member to be locked or unlocked by a relative sliding action of the male buckle member and the female buckle member; and releasing means respectively disposed at the male buckle member and the female buckle member to slide the male buckle member and the female buckle member in a release direction so that the locking and unlocking means are unlocked, wherein the male buckle member comprises: a male buckle plate type part having a first magnet mounting part in which the first magnet is buried or received to be fixed; and a strap connection part formed at an end portion of the male buckle plate type part so that a belt or a strap is connected, wherein the female buckle member comprises: a female buckle plate type part having a through hole part formed in one side and a second magnet mounting part formed at the other side so that the second magnet is buried or received to be fixed therein; and side wall parts protruding from both sides of the female buckle plate type part, and wherein the locking and unlocking means respectively comprise: locking and unlocking coupling parts protruding from both sides of the bottom surface of the male buckle plate type part; and locking and unlocking coupled parts formed at both sides of the bottom surface of the female buckle plate type part so that the locking and unlocking coupling parts and the locking and unlocking coupled parts are coupled with each other to be locked and unlocked depending on a relative back-and-forth sliding action thereof, wherein the releasing means comprises: a pair of hinge coupling pieces extending from both sides of the other end portion of the male buckle plate type part; a releasing rotation plate of which one end portion is hinge-coupled to the hinge coupling piece to be rotatably coupled to the male buckle member; a gripping member detachably joined to the other end portion of the releasing rotation plate; an elastic member formed on the male buckle plate type part between the hinge coupling pieces to elastically support the releasing rotation plate in a counterrotation direction; and release linking means respectively formed on the female buckle member and the releasing rotation plate so that the locking and unlocking coupling parts are released from the locking and unlocking coupled parts by relatively moving the male buckle member and the female buckle member in the release direction due to the rotation of the releasing rotation plate.

4. The buckle according to claim 3, wherein the releasing rotation plate comprises: a manipulation plate part; a pair of plate type protrusions formed at both sides of the bottom surface of the manipulation plate part; and hinge shafts formed on the outer surfaces of the plate type protrusions to be hinge-coupled to the hinge coupling pieces.

5. The buckle according to claim 4, wherein the release linking means comprises: a sliding cam groove formed on one side of a lower end portion of the plate type protrusion of the releasing rotation plate; and a sliding cam protrusion formed at the female buckle member to correspond to the shape of the sliding cam groove.

6. The buckle according to claim 5, wherein the sliding cam groove is formed in a rectangular shape that the lower end of the plate type protrusion becomes the base line, and the side facing the direction that the male buckle member and the female buckle member are coupled with each other is a downwardly inclined surface, and wherein the sliding cam protrusion has a shape corresponding to the sliding cam groove.

7. The buckle according to claim 3, wherein the gripping member is a strap connected to a connection hole formed in the releasing rotation plate, or a strap having a gripper disposed at an end portion thereof.

8. The buckle according to claim 3, wherein the gripping member is a strap connected to a connection hole formed in the releasing rotation plate and has a ring disposed at an end portion thereof.

9. An article having the buckle according to claim 3.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional open type buckle;

(3) FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional closed type buckle;

(4) FIG. 3A is a sectional view taken along the line A-A′ of FIG. 2, showing a combined state of the conventional buckle;

(5) FIG. 3B is a sectional view taken along the line B-B′ of FIG. 2, showing the combined state of the conventional buckle;

(6) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a buckle according to an embodiment of the present invention viewed from the top;

(7) FIG. 5 is a view showing the buckle of FIG. 4 from which a releasing rotation plate is excluded;

(8) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the buckle according to the embodiment of the present invention viewed from the bottom;

(9) FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the buckle according to the embodiment of the present invention viewed from the bottom, from which a female buckle member is excluded;

(10) FIG. 8 is a plan view showing the buckle according to the embodiment of the present invention;

(11) FIG. 9 is a bottom side view showing the buckle according to the embodiment of the present invention;

(12) FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along the line of A-A′ of FIG. 8;

(13) FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a state before the releasing rotation plate is rotated under the condition that the buckle according to the embodiment of the present invention is released;

(14) FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a state where the releasing rotation plate is rotated under the condition that the buckle according to the embodiment of the present invention is released;

(15) FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a portion of a male buckle member of the buckle according to the embodiment of the present invention viewed from the bottom;

(16) FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the female buckle member of the buckle according to the embodiment of the present invention viewed from the top;

(17) FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the female buckle member of the buckle according to the embodiment of the present invention viewed from the bottom;

(18) FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the releasing rotation plate of the buckle according to the embodiment of the present invention viewed from the bottom;

(19) FIG. 17 is a sectional view showing a releasing process of the buckle according to the embodiment of the present invention;

(20) FIG. 18 is a view showing an example that the buckle according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied to a bag; and

(21) FIG. 19 is a view showing another example that the buckle according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied to a bag.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(22) The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(23) The example embodiments of the present invention are capable of various modifications and alternative forms, and particular embodiments of the present invention will be illustrated in the attached drawings and described in this specification in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit example embodiments of the invention to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, example embodiments of the invention are to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the technical idea and scope of the present invention.

(24) It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled” to another element, there are no intervening elements present.

(25) It will be further understood that the words or terms used in the present invention are used to describe specific embodiments of the present invention and there is no intent to limit the present invention. The singular form of the components may be understood into the plural form unless otherwise specifically stated in the context. It should be also understood that the terms of ‘include’ or ‘have’ in the specification are used to mean that there are characteristics, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations of the steps, operations, components and parts described in the specification and there is no intent to exclude existence or possibility of other characteristics, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations of the steps, operations, components and parts.

(26) Moreover, in the following description, terms such as “part”, “unit” and “module” indicate a unit for processing at least one function or operation, wherein the unit and the block may be embodied as hardware or software or embodied by combining hardware and software.

(27) Furthermore, in describing the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are referenced by like reference numerals or signs regardless of the drawing numbers and description thereof is not repeated.

(28) In the description, details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the presented embodiments.

(29) Hereinafter, a buckle showing a firm fastening function and an easy release function according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(30) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a buckle according to an embodiment of the present invention viewed from the top, FIG. 5 is a view showing the buckle of FIG. 4 from which a releasing rotation plate is excluded, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the buckle according to the embodiment of the present invention viewed from the bottom, FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the buckle according to the embodiment of the present invention viewed from the bottom, from which a female buckle member is excluded, FIG. 8 is a plan view showing the buckle according to the embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 9 is a bottom side view showing the buckle according to the embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along the line of A-A′ of FIG. 8, FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a state before the releasing rotation plate is rotated under the condition that the buckle according to the embodiment of the present invention is released, FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a state where the releasing rotation plate is rotated under the condition that the buckle according to the embodiment of the present invention is released, FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a portion of a male buckle member of the buckle according to the embodiment of the present invention viewed from the bottom, FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the female buckle member of the buckle according to the embodiment of the present invention viewed from the top, FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the female buckle member of the buckle according to the embodiment of the present invention viewed from the bottom, FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the releasing rotation plate of the buckle according to the embodiment of the present invention viewed from the bottom, and FIG. 17 is a sectional view showing a releasing process of the buckle according to the embodiment of the present invention.

(31) As shown in FIGS. 4 to 17, the buckle according to the embodiment of the present invention includes: a male buckle member 100 having a first magnet 101 buried or received in the middle part thereof; a female buckle member 200 coupled with and uncoupled from the male buckle member 100 in a sliding manner and having a second magnet 201 buried or received in the middle part thereof; locking and unlocking means respectively disposed at the male buckle member 100 and the female buckle member 200 to be locked or unlocked by a relative sliding action of the male buckle member 100 and the female buckle member 200; and releasing means respectively disposed at the male buckle member 100 and the female buckle member 200 to slide the male buckle member 100 and the female buckle member 200 in a release direction so that the locking and unlocking means are unlocked (released) and the male buckle member 100 and the female buckle member 200 are released from each other.

(32) In detail, the male buckle member 100 includes: a male buckle plate type part 110 in which the first magnet 101 is buried or received and fixed; and a strap connection part 120 formed integrally with an end portion of the male buckle plate type part 110 so that a belt or a strap is connected.

(33) The reference numeral 111 designates a first magnet mounting part in which the first magnet 101 is buried or received and fixed.

(34) Furthermore, the male buckle member 100 is configured such that elements of the locking and unlocking means and elements of the releasing means, which will be described in detail later, are formed integrally with each other.

(35) The strap connection part 120 includes a cross bar 121 to which a free end portion of the strap is caught and connected. The strap connection part 120 including the cross bar 121 may have various forms and structures and may have one of known forms and structures, and a detailed description of the strap connection part will be omitted.

(36) The female buckle member 200 includes: a female buckle plate type part 210 having a through hole part 211 formed in one side and the second magnet 201 buried or received in the middle part of the other side to be fixed; and side wall parts 220 protruding from both sides of the female buckle plate type part 210.

(37) The reference numeral 212 designates a second magnet mounting part in which the second magnet 201 is buried or received to be fixed.

(38) Additionally, the female buckle member 200 is configured such that elements of the locking and unlocking means and elements of the releasing means, which will be described in detail later, are formed integrally with each other.

(39) Next, the locking and unlocking means respectively disposed at the male buckle member 100 and the female buckle member 200 to be locked or unlocked by the relative sliding action of the male buckle member 100 and the female buckle member 200 will be described.

(40) The locking and unlocking means include: locking and unlocking coupling parts 310 protruding from both sides of the bottom surface of the male buckle plate type part 110; and locking and unlocking coupled parts 320 formed at both sides of the bottom surface of the female buckle plate type part 120 of the female buckle member 200 so that the locking and unlocking coupling parts 310 and the locking and unlocking coupled parts 320 are coupled with each other to be locked and unlocked (released) depending on a back-and-forth sliding action of the locking and unlocking coupling parts 310.

(41) The locking and unlocking coupling parts 310 are protrusions formed at both sides around the first magnet 101 of the male buckle plate type part 110, and the protrusions are formed in a triangular shape (right-angled triangle) when being viewed from the rear side and have locking protrusions 311 formed at the bottom ends thereof.

(42) Here, each of the triangular protrusions 311 has an inclined plane of the right-angled triangle facing outwards.

(43) Moreover, the locking and unlocking coupled parts 320 include: through holes 321 formed at both sides around the second magnet 201 of the female buckle plate type part 210; and retaining plates 322 horizontally protruding from the inside of the through holes 321, having upper end edges 322a formed to correspond to the inclined surfaces of the protrusions 311 of the locking and unlocking coupling parts 310, and being inserted into the locking and unlocking coupling parts 310 (See FIGS. 14 and 15).

(44) Next, the releasing means which is disposed at the male buckle member 100 to slide the male buckle member 100 and the female buckle member 200 in the release direction so that the locking and unlocking means are unlocked (released) and the male buckle member 100 and the female buckle member 200 are released from each other will be described.

(45) The releasing means includes: a pair of hinge coupling pieces 410 horizontally extending from both sides of the other end portion of the male buckle plate type part 110; a releasing rotation plate 420 of which one end portion is hinge-coupled to the hinge coupling piece 410 to be rotatably coupled to the male buckle member 100; a gripping member 430 detachably joined to the other end portion of the releasing rotation plate 420; an elastic member 440 formed on the male buckle plate type part 110 between the hinge coupling pieces 410 to elastically support the releasing rotation plate 420 in a counterrotation direction; and release linking means respectively formed on the female buckle member 200 and the releasing rotation plate 420 so that the locking and unlocking coupling parts 310 are released from the locking and unlocking coupled parts 320 by relatively moving the male buckle member 100 and the female buckle member 200 in the release direction due to the rotation of the releasing rotation plate 420.

(46) The releasing rotation plate 420 includes: a manipulation plate part 421; a pair of plate type protrusions 422 formed at both sides of the bottom surface of the manipulation plate part 421; and hinge shafts 423 formed on the outer surfaces of the plate type protrusions 422 to be hinge-coupled to hinge holes 411 formed in the hinge coupling pieces 410 of the male buckle plate type part 110.

(47) The gripping member 430 may be a strap connected to a gripping member connection hole 431 formed in the releasing rotation plate 420, or a strap having a gripper disposed at an end portion thereof (see FIG. 18), or a strip having a ring disposed at an end portion thereof (see FIG. 19).

(48) Furthermore, the gripping member 430 may be not the strap but may be a releasing protrusion formed integrally with the upper surface of the other end portion of the releasing rotation plate 420.

(49) The elastic member 440 may be a plate spring. In detail, the elastic member 440 may be an elastic piece extends integrally from the other end portion of the male buckle plate type part 110 of the male buckle member 100 to one side to apply elastic force upwards.

(50) In the examples shown in the drawings, the elastic member 440 may be formed on a frame part 441 protruding integrally from the bottom surface of the other end portion of the male buckle plate type part 110 of the male buckle member 100.

(51) Continuously, the release linking means includes: a sliding cam groove 450 formed on one side of a lower end portion of the plate type protrusion 422 of the releasing rotation plate 420; and a sliding cam protrusion 460 formed at the female buckle member 200 to correspond to the shape of the sliding cam groove 450.

(52) The sliding cam groove 450 is formed in a rectangular shape that the lower end of the plate type protrusion 422 becomes the base line, and the side facing the direction that the male buckle member 100 and the female buckle member 200 are coupled with each other is a downwardly inclined surface 451.

(53) In addition, the sliding cam protrusion 460 has a shape corresponding to the sliding cam groove 450, and the side facing the direction that the male buckle member 100 and the female buckle member 200 are coupled with each other is a downwardly inclined surface 461.

(54) As shown in FIG. 17, the release linking means ordinarily keeps an unrotated state by the elastic member 440, but when the releasing rotation plate 420 is rotated, right-angled sides of the sliding cam groove 450 and the sliding cam protrusion 460 are interfered against each other and move along the two inclined surfaces 451 and 461, so that the male buckle member 100 and the female buckle member 200 to which the releasing rotation plate 420 are connected are slidably moved in a direction that the male buckle member 100 and the female buckle member 200 face each other, namely, in the release direction. Therefore, the locking and unlocking coupling parts 310 and the locking and unlocking coupled parts 320 are released (unlocked) from each other so that the male buckle member 100 and the female buckle member 200 are released from each other.

(55) As described above, the male buckle member 100 and the female buckle member 200 can be easily released from each other just by rotation of the releasing rotation plate 420, and especially, the buckle can be rapidly unlocked in an emergency situation since being easily released just by one hand or one finger effortlessly.

(56) FIGS. 18 and 19 are views showing examples that the buckle according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied to a bag, and the buckle according to the embodiment of the present invention may be applied to belts, various articles or devices requiring coupling.

(57) As described above, the buckle according to an embodiment of the present invention is not easily released under an unintended situation, can firmly keep fastening force of the buckle, can be easily released just with one hand or one finger when a user releases the buckle, and can be locked and unlocked easily and rapidly in time of emergency, thereby promoting usability and safety.

(58) While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the technical idea and scope of the present invention. For instance, the described technique may be executed in a different order from the described method, or the components of the described system, structure, device or circuit may be combined or connected in a different form from the described method or may be substituted or replaced with other components or equivalents.

(59) Additionally, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the above embodiments of the present invention are just exemplified. Therefore, it would be understood that the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are not to limit the technical idea of the present invention but to describe the present invention. It should be also understood that the protective scope of the present invention is interpreted by the following claims and all technical ideas within the equivalent scope belong to the technical scope of the present invention.