Belt with an elastic insert for holding a buckle and a related manufacturing method

Abstract

This disclosure shows a belt with a strap made of material which is substantially not elastically extendable. However, the belt adapts itself elastically to changes in the user's waist while maintaining the external appearance of the belts with a strap made of non-extendable material, because it has an elastic insert made of an elastic material, for example in polyester, folded on itself and fixed to an end of the strap in a longitudinally opposite position to a tip of the strap of the belt, and a buckle. The elastic insert is fixed to the strap so as to retain an anchoring bar of the buckle, so that the buckle can be removed longitudinally from the stem with a traction force that overcomes the restoring force of the elastic insert. A method of manufacturing such a belt with an elastic insert, for example in polyester, is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A belt, comprising: a strap made of a substantially non-elastically extensible material, defining a tip of the belt; a buckle having at least one anchoring bar for anchoring the buckle to the strap; an elastic insert made of an elastic material folded on itself and having opposite edges fixed to one end of the strap in a longitudinally opposite position to the tip of the belt, wherein said elastic insert is fixed to the strap to hold the anchoring bar of the buckle, and is configured so that the buckle can be moved longitudinally away from the strap with a tensile force sufficient to overcome the restoring force of the elastic insert, wherein the opposite edges of the elastic insert folded on itself are sewn with a bar tack directly on or in the strap, with said bar tack passing through both the strap and through said opposite edges of the elastic insert to hold the anchoring bar of the buckle; wherein the end of the strap opposite to the tip is split longitudinally in the thickness of the belt, such that a first fin and a second fin are defined by the split end, wherein the opposite edges of the elastic insert folded on itself are sewn with said bar tack between said first and second fins, wherein the bar tack simultaneously passes through both the strap and the elastic insert, with the first fin and the second fin sandwiching the opposite edges of the elastic insert.

2. The belt according to claim 1, further comprising a body of material suitable for manufacturing belts defining a first flap and a second flap opposed one another in a transverse direction and a strip directed in a longitudinal direction, wherein said first flap and second flap and said strip are configured to be folded around the elastic insert and to be fixed together by means of removable or non-removable fixing means.

3. The belt according to claim 2, wherein corresponding holes are defined on said first flap and second flap and on said strip, configured to be superimposed on each other when said first flap and second flap and said strip are folded around the elastic insert, and configured to be engaged by said removable or non-removable fixing means.

4. The belt according to claim 2, wherein said removable or non-removable fixing means are composed either of male and female elements of snap-buttons, or of rivets, respectively.

5. A method for manufacturing a belt having a strap made of a substantially non-elastically extensible material, defining a tip of the belt, and a buckle having at least one anchoring bar for anchoring the buckle to the strap, said method comprising the following operations: providing an elastic insert of elastic material and folding it onto itself around said anchoring bar of the buckle; fixing opposite edges of the elastic insert at one end of the strap in a longitudinally opposite position to the tip of the belt to retain said anchoring bar of the buckle, through the operations of sewing the opposite ends of the elastic insert folded on itself with a bar tack directly on or in the strap, with said bar tack passing through both the strap and through said opposite edges of the elastic insert to hold the anchoring bar of the buckle, wherein said method further comprises: splitting the end of the strap opposite to the tip longitudinally in the thickness of the belt such that a first fin and a second fin are defined by the split end; sewing said opposite edges of said elastic insert between said first fin and second fin with said bar tack, wherein the bar tack simultaneously passes through both the strap and the elastic insert, with the first fin and the second fin sandwiching the opposite edges of the elastic insert.

6. The method according to claim 5, comprising the operations of: providing a body of material suitable for making belts defining a first flap and a second flap opposite to one another directed in a transverse direction and a strip directed in a longitudinal direction, wherein said first flap and second flap and said strip are configured to be folded around the elastic insert; defining corresponding holes on said first flap and second flap and on said strip; folding said first flap and second flap and said strip around the elastic insert to overlap said corresponding holes; engaging said corresponding holes with removable or non-removable fixing means to hold said first flap and second flap and said strip folded around the elastic insert.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the non-removable fixing means are fixed rivets.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a snap fastener end of a belt whose length cannot be adjusted.

(2) FIG. 2 shows a snap fastener end of a belt adjustable in length with the strap separated from the hooking strip.

(3) FIG. 3 shows a strap of a belt with through holes for hooking to the snap fasteners of a hooking strip.

(4) FIG. 4 shows a hooking strip of a belt closed around a buckle by means of a screw inserted in the relative retainer.

(5) FIGS. 5a and 5b are perspective and profile views of a known elastic belt.

(6) FIG. 6 shows a strap 2 for manufacturing a belt according to an aspect of the present disclosure with seven holes of the waistline defined longitudinally in a row.

(7) FIG. 7 is a profile view of the strap of a belt according to an aspect of the present disclosure split in the sense of the thickness to form two flaps.

(8) FIG. 8 shows an elastic insert 9 of a belt according to an aspect of the present disclosure, with a slot in which to insert the prong of a buckle.

(9) FIG. 9 shows the elastic insert folded around the anchoring bar of a buckle, with the opposite ends of the elastic insert folded on itself sewn between the fins obtained in the thickness S of the strap.

(10) FIG. 10 shows the elastic insert of a belt according to an aspect of the present disclosure, fixed to the strap so as to retain the anchoring bar of the buckle.

(11) FIG. 11 shows the elastic insert folded around the anchoring bar of a buckle, with the opposite ends of the elastic insert folded on itself sewn directly on the strap so that the strap is sandwiched therebetween.

(12) FIG. 12 shows the elastic insert of a belt according to an aspect of the present disclosure, directly sewn on opposite sides of the strap so as to retain the anchoring bar of the buckle.

(13) FIG. 13 shows an oval shaped to hide the elastic insert of FIG. 7, so as to define two opposed flaps directed transversely and a strip directed longitudinally.

(14) FIGS. 14, 15 and FIG. 16 show in succession how to place and close the oval of FIG. 13 respectively so as to hide the elastic insert, according to the manufacturing method of the present disclosure.

(15) FIG. 17 is a front view of a belt according to the present disclosure.

(16) FIGS. 18 and 19 are pictures of the external and internal side, respectively, of a part of a leather belt made according to the method of this disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(17) The method of manufacturing a belt according to the present disclosure will be illustrated in detail with reference to FIGS. 6 to 19.

(18) FIG. 6 shows a strap 2 of a belt according to the present disclosure. It is made of a material not elastically extensible, such as a strip of leather, and the holes for adapting to the waist (in the figure there are seven holes) defined longitudinally in a row in a central position relative to the height H1 of the strap 2. In one aspect, the waist holes are spaced 29 mm apart. According to the manufacturing process of this disclosure, as shown in FIG. 7, the end of the strap 2, opposite to the tip 7 of the belt, is split longitudinally and in the thickness direction S of the strap 2. In this way, two fins 8a and 8b are created, preferably of equal thickness, which part from the strap 2.

(19) Said fins 8a and 8b will preferably have a length comprised between 5 mm and 30 mm, more preferably between 10 mm and 20 mm, still more preferably a length of 15 mm.

(20) According to the method of this disclosure, an elastic insert 9 is thus provided, which for example can be of polyester, which is a strip having a height H2 preferably smaller than the height H1 of the strap 2, for example of the type shown in FIG. 8, with a slot 10 in which to insert the prong of the buckle, if present. If, on the other hand, the buckle was of the type (not shown in the figure) consisting of a plate with a peg that slips into a hole in the belt, then in this case the elastic insert 9 may also not have any slots 10. Referring to the case shown in the figures, in which the buckle has a prong, if the prong of the buckle is inserted into the slot 10, the elastic insert 9 is folded around the anchoring bar 11 of the buckle, as shown in FIG. 8, and between the fins 8a and 8b formed in the thickness S of the strap 2 the opposite ends of the elastic insert 9 folded on itself are fixed. In this way, the elastic insert 9 is firmly fixed to the strap 2 of the belt.

(21) In one aspect, the elastic insert 9 is an elastic fabric web.

(22) As shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, the ends of the elastic insert 9 folded on itself are sewn directly together with the strap 2 by means of a bar tack 12 which simultaneously passes through both the strap 2 and the elastic insert 9, with the fins 8 a and 8 b sandwiching the ends of the elastic insert 9.

(23) According to less preferred aspects, not shown in the figures, the ends of the elastic insert 9 are glued between the flaps 8a and 8b and are sewn.

(24) Once the elastic insert 9 has been fixed, the anchoring bar 11 of the buckle 6 is permanently hooked to the strap 2 as shown in FIG. 9.

(25) According to an alternate aspect, the ends of the insert elastic 9 are sewn directly on the frame 2 in the manner shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, so that the same bar tacks 12 simultaneously passes through both the strap 2 and the elastic insert 9, with opposite ends of the elastic insert 9 which sandwich the strap 2. Also in this case, as in the embodiment of FIGS. 9 and 10, the elastic insert 9 is not sewn on itself, as in the belt disclosed in document JP2007044066A, but is firmly anchored to the strap 2 by means of the bar tack 12.

(26) Experimental tests carried out by the applicant have shown that a belt made in the manner indicated in FIGS. 9 to 12, by sewing the elastic insert 9 directly on the strap 2 with a same bar tack 12, is capable of withstanding a weight of 80 Kg without being damaged.

(27) In order to hide the bar tack 12 from view, which would be aesthetically unattractive, an oval 13 of the type shown in FIG. 13 is optionally provided, which is substantially an element made of material suitable for manufacturing belts, such as for example fabric or leather, shaped in such a way to define two opposing flaps 14a and 14b directed transversely and a strip 15 directed longitudinally. On each flap 14a and 14b and on the longitudinal strip 15 are defined holes 16a, 16b, intended to be engaged by removable or non-removable fixing means, such as, respectively, the male and female elements of snap fasteners or iron rivets. In a substantially central position a second slot 17 is defined, through which the prong of the buckle will be passed.

(28) The figures show two holes 16a and 16b on each flap 14a and 14b and on the longitudinal strip 15. The choice of making two holes 16a and 16b is preferred because it is more aesthetically pleasing, but it is also possible to make a single hole 16b on each flap 14a and 14b and on the longitudinal strip 15, or even three or more holes arranged in various ways. Regardless of the number of holes made on each flap 14a and 14b and on the longitudinal strip 15, they will be arranged so that the corresponding holes 16a, 16b are superimposed when the flaps 14a and 14b and the longitudinal strip 15 are folded around the elastic insert 9, so that the corresponding holes 16a, 16b are simultaneously engaged by removable fixing means, to keep the flaps 14a and 14b and the strip 15 folded around the elastic insert 9.

(29) As shown in FIGS. 14, 15 and 16, according to the manufacturing process of this disclosure: the oval 13 is placed in correspondence with the elastic insert 9 fixed to the strap 2, the prong of the buckle 6 is inserted in the second slot 17, the longitudinal strip 15 is folded around the anchoring bar 11 of the buckle 6 longitudinally to the strap 2, the flaps 14a and 14b are folded transversely to the strap 2, so as to overlap the holes 16a between them and the holes 16b between them, fixing means 18a, 18b are inserted to engage the holes 16a and 16b together, respectively, so as to keep the oval 13 in a closed configuration to hide the elastic insert 9 from view.

(30) The inside and the outside of the mounted belt will appear respectively as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17. Unlike the belts which can be shortened with an oval, such as that of FIG. 2, in the belt of the present disclosure the oval 13 is not fixed directly to the strap 2 of the belt but is hooked only to the anchoring bar 11 of the buckle 6. By pulling the buckle 6 in the direction longitudinal to the belt, the insert elastic 9, for example made of polyester, elastically elongates and the strap 2 moves away from the buckle 6 sliding in the middle of the flaps 14a and 14b of the oval 13 closed on themselves.

(31) Preferably, a ring 19 is fixed on a face of the oval 13 intended to remain outside the belt, so as to constitute a loop in which to insert the tip 7 of the belt once tightened at the waist.

(32) Working prototypes of belts have been made according to the process of this disclosure. Pictures are shown in FIGS. 18 and 19 respectively of the outer side and of the inner side of a part of a prototypal leather belt. The oval 13, kept in the closed configuration by the rivets 18a and 18b, hides the elastic insert 9 from sight. The strap 2 of the belt is enveloped by the oval 13 but can slide in it by pulling the tip 7 of the belt overcoming the restoring force of the elastic insert 9.

(33) With the disclosed method it is also possible to make straps for bags or wrist watches.