Fastener with two fastening mechanisms

Abstract

A fastener for fastening a first element to a second element comprising: a first part; a second part fastenable to the first part via a first fastening mechanism; and a third part fastenable to the second part via a second fastening mechanism. The third part comprises at least one protruding member for inserting thereof to the second element for fastening the second element between the second and third parts. The first fastening mechanism is configured such that to open the fastening of the first part to the second part an external tool such as a key or a magnet should be applied.

Claims

1. A fastener for fastening a first element to a second element, said fastener comprising: a first part; a second part fastenable to said first part via a first fastening mechanism; and a third part fastenable to said second part via a second fastening mechanism, said third part comprises at least one protruding member for inserting thereof to the second element for fastening said second element between said second and third parts, wherein said first part is attachable, embedded or placed in said first element thereby ultimately enabling fastening said first element to said second element, wherein said first fastening mechanism is configured such that to open the fastening of said first part to said second part an external tool should be applied, wherein said first fastening mechanism is based on snap or magnetic fastening and said second fastening mechanism is based on snap fastening, wherein said first part comprises: a casing configured to form at least one inner groove, a recess and at least one projection for snap fastening said at least one projection located inwardly over said recess, said recess configured to hold therein at least one portion of said second part for fastening thereto; at least one metallic piece located inside said at least one inner groove; and at least one spring engaging said at least one metallic piece such that on applying an external magnetic force, using an external magnet, the at least one metallic piece moves in said groove such that the at least one metallic piece compresses said at least one spring thereby slightly dilating said recess to allow removal of said second part therefrom, and wherein said second part comprises a knob shaped head portion connected to an elongated portion having a recess therein; and said third part comprises a flattened part connected to a protruding part, said protruding part is configured to be inserted into said recess of said elongated part of said second part for fastening thereto and said knob shaped head portion of said second part is configured for fitting into the recess of said first part for fastening thereto.

2. The fastener according to claim 1, wherein said protruding part of said third part is externally serrated and said recess of said second part is inwardly serrated to allow irremovable fastening of the third part to the second part.

3. The fastener according to claim 1, wherein said protruding part of said third part is externally screw threaded and said recess of said second part is inwardly screw threaded to allow removable fastening of the third part to the second part.

4. A fastener for fastening a first element to a second element, said fastener comprising: a first part; a second part fastenable to said first part via a first fastening mechanism; and a third part fastenable to said second part via a second fastening mechanism, said third part comprises at least one protruding member for inserting thereof to the second element for fastening said second element between said second and third parts, wherein said first part is attachable, embedded or placed in said first element thereby ultimately enabling fastening said first element to said second element, wherein said first fastening mechanism is configured such that to open the fastening of said first part to said second part an external tool should be applied, wherein said first fastening mechanism is based on snap or magnetic fastening and said second fastening mechanism is based on snap fastening, wherein said first part comprises: a casing configured to form at least one inner groove, a recess and at least one projection for snap fastening said at least one projection located inwardly over said recess, said recess is configured to hold therein at least one portion of said second part for fastening thereto; at least one metallic piece located inside said at least one inner groove; and at least one spring engaging said at least one metallic piece such that once applying an external magnetic force, using an external magnet the at least one metallic piece moves in said groove such that the at least one metallic piece compresses said at least one spring engaging thereof thereby slightly dilating said recess to allow removal of said second part therefrom; and wherein said third part comprises an elongated pin like part connected to a flattened part, and said second part comprises: a head configured to fit into the recess of said first part; an elongated portion having a recess therein configured for receiving said pin like part of said third part; and at least one spherical element configured for snap fastening said pin like part of said third part in said recess of said second part.

5. A fastener for fastening a first element to a second element, said fastener comprising: a first part; a second part fastenable to said first part via a first fastening mechanism; and a third part fastenable to said second part via a second fastening mechanism, said third part comprises at least one protruding member for inserting thereof to the second element for fastening said second element between said second and third parts, wherein said first part is attachable, embedded or placed in said first element thereby ultimately enabling fastening said first element to said second element, wherein said first fastening mechanism is configured such that to open the fastening of said first part to said second part an external tool should be applied, and wherein said first part comprises: a casing having an opening recess for fitting therethrough a portion of said second part and at least one key hole; and a clip member located inside said casing and configured for clip fastening said portion of said second member once inserted through said opening recess, said clip member having two pincers connected to a grip, wherein once a designated key configured to fit into said at least one key hole is inserted through said at least one key hole and rotated therein, the designated key dilates the gap between said pincers thereby allowing removal of said second part portion from said opening recess for unfastening thereof.

6. The fastener according to claim 5, wherein said at least one key hole comprises a single key hole.

7. The fastener according to claim 6, wherein said designated key includes protrusions and said single key hole is located such that the protrusions of said key will be located between the princes of the clip member for dilating thereof upon rotation of said key.

8. The fastener according to claim 5, wherein said at least one key hole comprises two key holes located in front of said pincers and said designated key includes two edges configured for being inserted through said key holes for dilating the gap between said pincers.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIGS. 1A-1C show a snap fastener, according to some embodiments of the present invention: FIG. 1A shows the fastener in an open unfastened position; FIG. 1B shows the fastener in a closed fastened position; and FIG. 1C shows the fastener in a closed position having a magnet used for allowing unfastening of the fastener.

(2) FIG. 2 shows the fastener of FIGS. 1A-1C installed in a pouch.

(3) FIG. 3 shows a snap buckle fastener, according to other embodiments of the invention.

(4) FIGS. 4A-4C show a fastener with a lock mechanism having three parts, according to another embodiment of the invention: FIG. 4A shows a perspective view of the fastener with the lock mechanism; FIG. 4B shows a perspective transparent view of a first part of the fastener; FIG. 4C shows a perspective exploded view of the first part of the fastener; and FIG. 4D shows a side cross sectional view of the fastener.

(5) FIGS. 5A-5C show a fastener with a lock mechanism having three parts, according to yet another embodiment of the invention: FIG. 5A shows a perspective view of the fastener; FIG. 5B shows a perspective transparent view of a first part of the fastener; FIG. 5C shows a perspective exploded view of the first part of the fastener; and FIG. 5D shows a side cross sectional view of the fastener.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

(6) In the following detailed description of various embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part thereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

(7) The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, provides a fastener for fastening a first element such as a pouch, a belt and the like to another second element such as a garment, a box and the like in a secured manner such that will require a separate tool such as a powerful magnet or a lock key to reopen the fastening of the fastener. The fasteners of the present invention are especially yet not exclusively designed for securing a device with a sensor such as a tracking device embedded or placed in a garment or casing, to a garment worn by a person for keeping track of that person. This may be useful for children or persons with disablements such autistic people or people with Alzheimer that can get lost. The fastener cannot be easily reopen by the tracked person and therefore the tracking device is likely to be kept worn by that person. In other implementations the fastener can be used for theft prevention being attached to a tracking device such as RFID (radio frequency ID) device or a casing comprising thereof fastened to a product in a shop for instance.

(8) According to some embodiments of the invention, the fastener combines two fastening mechanisms which may be based on the same fastening principle or on two different fastening principles. According to some embodiments, the fastener has three distinguished fastenable parts: a first part, a second part and a third part fastenable to one another and thereby establishing the two fastening mechanisms by connecting to one another in the following manner the second part is fastenable to the third part such as to fasten to a first element such as a garment or any other element by fastening to one another via a first fastening mechanism; and the first part attachable to a second element such as a device, a casing or a pouch, wherein the first part is configured to fasten to the second middle part via a second fastening mechanism for ultimately attaching the first element to the second element.

(9) According to some embodiments, the first fastening mechanism requires the use of an external tool such as a powerful magnetic element or a key in order to open the fastening between the first and second parts. This requires a special mechanism or design of the first part, second part or both.

(10) This means that the third and second parts fasten to one another and thereby hold a first element and the first part fastens to the second part and is attached to the second element (not necessarily through the fastening to the second part). The middle second part is configured to fasten to the first part at one end or one side thereof and to the third part at another side or end thereof.

(11) For example, the third part may include a protrusion such as a pin connectable to the second part. The second part may have an elongated hole niche configured for tightly receiving the protrusion of the third part therein and may include a snap mechanism for holding the pin inside the hole in a secure manner. The pin may be inserted through a portion of the first element, for instance to attach a garment type element between the third and second parts. The second part having the hole niche that receives the pin therein is also configured as an elongated protrusion configured to fasten into another niche at the first part of the fastener through a magnetic or non-magnetic snap fastening mechanism to attach the second part (attached to the first part) to the third part, wherein that first part connects to or is embedded in a second element such as a pouch or a casing holding therein a sensor unit and/or an RFID (radio frequency ID) device for tracking the first element.

(12) Reference is now made to FIGS. 1A-1C, showing fastened and unfastened positions of a fastener 100 having three fastenable parts: a first member 110; a second member 120; and a third member 130. The first member 110 includes a casing element, which is a solid frame 111 having a recess 112 shaped in one of its sides having a semi spherical shape or any other shape. The recess 112 may have one or more projections such as projections 115a and 115b protruding inwardly from the sides of the recess 112. The fame 111 includes one or more grooves such as grooves 117a and 117b for holding metallic pieces 113a and 113b and springs 114a and 114b therein.

(13) According to some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 1A-1C, the third member 130 has a protruding part 135 and a flattened part 136 connected to one another, wherein the protruding part 135 may be externally serrated as shown in FIG. 1A for permanent and irremovable fastening or have an external screw thread for instance for removable fastening of the second and third members 120 and 130. The second member 120 has a semi-knob shaped head 121 having a curvature that fits into the recess 112 of the first member 110; and an elongated portion 122 connected to the head 121 having a recess therein that may be internally serrated or internally screw threaded to allow securing the protruding part 135 of the third member 130, which may respectively be serrated or screw threaded into the recess of the second member 120.

(14) The third and second members 130 and 120 are designed to allow fastening to the second element such as a wearable garment by inserting the protruding part 135 of the third member 130 through a perforation in the garment such that its flattened part 136 faces the inner part of the garment engaging or being closest to the skin of the person wearing the garment and securing the second member 120 thereto. When the second member 120 is secured to the third member 130, the second member 120 can be used for fastening the first element such as a garment to the second element (e.g. the pouch) by inserting the head 121 of the second member 120 into the recess 112 of the first member 110.

(15) As illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1B, once the head 121 of the second member 120 is inserted into the recess 112 of the first member 110, it is snapped by the projections 115a and 115b. The metallic pieces 113a and 113b are made from a firm metallic material and inwardly support the walls of the frame 111 to support the projections 115a and 115b that hold the head 121 inside the recess 112. In the open and closed positions (see FIGS. 1A-1B) the springs 114a and 114b are in a relaxed position and therefore apply no force over the metallic pieces 113a and 113b.

(16) However, to allow removing the second member 120 from the first member 110, as illustrated in FIG. 1C, a magnet 50 should be used for pulling the metallic pieces 113a and 113b upwards towards the magnet 50 such that they will compress the springs 114a and 114b and allow slight dilation of the frame 112 edges that hold the metallic pieces 113a and 113b therein to remove the support from the projections 115a and 115b and allow easy removal of the head 121 from the recess 112. The walls of the frame 111 in this state can move the projections 115a and 115b away from one another for removing the second member 120. All other components of the fastener 100 other than the metallic pieces 113a and 113b and optionally the springs 114a and 114b are made from materials that are not ferromagnetic and cannot attract to the external magnet and therefore cannot be moved thereby. For example, all other components other than the springs and metallic pieces are made from plastic, while the springs and metallic pieces are made from metals such as iron based alloys aluminum based alloy or any other known in the art metal.

(17) Once the magnetic force is applied, as illustrated in FIG. 1C, the lower borders of the metallic pieces 113a and 113b are pulled such that they are located above the projections 115a and 115b to prevent the metallic pieces 113a and 113b from enforcing these parts of the frame 111 walls. In this configuration, these walls can slightly bend away from one another to allow easy removal of the head 121 of the second member 120 from the recess 112 of the first member 110.

(18) The moving of the metallic pieces 113a and 113b towards the distal edge of the grooves 117a and 117b by using the external magnet, allows weakening the grip of the projections 115a and 115b to the head 121 of the second member 120 since these projections 115a and 115b are not connected to the metallic pieces 113a and 113b and are not made of a material that attracts to the magnet. This means that once the head 121 of the second member 120 is fit into the recess 112 of the first member 110, the projections 115a and 115b apply pressure over the head 121 for holding it while the metallic pieces 113a and 113b apply an additional pressure by firming the structure supporting the projections 115a and 115b. Once the external magnet is applied pulling the metallic pieces 113a and 113b away from the projections 115a and 115b, the grip of the projections 115a and 115b is dramatically loosened as the framing walls thereof are hollow and made from much more flexible material than that of the metallic pieces 113a and 113b allowing slightly pushing these walls sideways to pull out the second member 120 from the recess 112, since without the support of the metallic pieces 113a and 113b the frame in this area is much more flexible.

(19) The metallic pieces may be of any shape such as cylindrical, cuboid, conical, spherical, semi-spherical, or any other elongated or non-elongated shape.

(20) FIG. 2 shows how the fastener 100 is used for fastening a pouch 20 having the first member 110 of the fastener 100 installed therein to a garment by having the second member 120 thereof removably fastened to the first member 110.

(21) FIG. 3 shows another type of a three components snap fastener 500, according to other embodiments of the invention. This fastener 500 has a first member 510, a second member 520 and a third member 530 fastenable to one another. The first member 510 is similar in configuration to the first member 110 as shown and described in relation to FIGS. 1A-1C. The first member 510 includes a framing element 511 having a recess 512 shaped in one of its sides having a semi spherical shape or any other shape. The recess 512 has projections 515a and 515b integrally attached thereto. The fame 511 includes one or more grooves such as grooves 517a and 517b for holding metallic pieces 513a and 513b and springs 514a and 514b. In this case, similarly to the fastener 100 described above, to remove the second member 520 from the first member 510 the magnet should be placed near the upper distal edge of the first member 510, where the term distal refers to the distance from the second member 520. This will allow pulling the metallic pieces 513a and 513b upwards towards the distal edge of the grooves 517a and 517b respectively thereby compressing the springs 514a and 514b allowing pulling put the second member 520 from the recess 512 of the first member 510 overcoming the relatively weakened snap grip.

(22) The third member 530 has a protruding pin-like part 535 and a flattened part 536 connected to one another. The second member 520 has a knob like head 521 having a curvature that fits into the recess 512 of the first member 510; and an elongated portion 522 having an elongated recess therein, connected to the head 521 having a recess hole therein that fits in dimensions and length to the dimension and length of the protruding part 535 of the third member 530. The second member 520 includes a multiplicity of metal spherical elements 30 located inside the elongated portion 522. The spherical elements 30 act as snap holders and hold the pin like protrusion 535 of the third member 530 inside the hole of the elongated portion 522. The protruding pin 535 can be pulled out by using an external magnet attracting the metal spherical elements 30 away from the pin like protrusion 535 for overcoming the grip of the spherical elements 30 thereto.

(23) The mechanism for using spherical snap elements is known in the art and will be referred to hereinafter as the spherical elements snap mechanism

(24) Reference is now made to FIGS. 4A-4D illustrating a fastener 200 having a lock mechanism, according to other embodiments of the invention. According to these embodiments, the fastener 200 has three parts: a first part 210 which has a casing 211 holding therein a clip member 212; a second part 220 and a third part 230 fastenable to one another as follows: the third part 230 fastens to the second part 220 through the spherical elements snap mechanism or any other fastening mechanism known in the art. The casing 211 of the first member 210 includes an opening recess 214 for receiving and holding at least part of the second member 220 therein and a key hole 213 for receiving a key 215 therein. The clip member 212 is held inside the casing 211 and has two pincers 212a and 212b connected to a grip 212c located under said opening recess 214 and configured for gripping to the second member 220 part inserted through the opening recess 214. The pincers 212a and 212b and grip 212c have a certain degree of flexibility that allows it to slightly open when the key 215 is rotated to an unlock position and retract back to a closed position when the key 215 is returned rotatably to a locked position. As shown in the transparent view of FIG. 4B, once the key 215 is in the locked position its two protrusions do not dilate the gap between the pincers 212a and 212b. when the key 215 is rotated at about 90 degrees from the locked position thereof inside the key hole 213, its protrusions dilate the gap between the pincers 212a and 212b of the clip member 212 and therefor the grip 212c is also dilated allowing removal or insertion of the protruding portion of the second member 220 into the opening recess 214. Once inside and the key 215 is turned back to the locked position, the pincers 212a and 212b retract back and the grip 201c also retracts and tightens its grip over the second member 220 forming thereby the fastening of the first member 210 to the second member 220.

(25) Reference is now made to FIGS. 5A-5D illustrating a fastener 300 having a lock mechanism, according to yet other embodiments of the invention. According to these embodiments, the fastener 300 has three parts: a first part 310 which has a casing 311 holding therein a clip member 312; a second part 320 and a third part 330 fastenable to one another as follows: the third part 330 fastens to the second part 320 through the spherical elements snap mechanism or any other fastening mechanism known in the art. The casing 311 of the first member 310 includes an opening recess 314 for receiving and holding at least part of the second member 320 therein and two key holes 313a and 313b located in front of said pincers 312a and for receiving edges 315a and 315b of a key 315 therein. The clip member 312 is held inside the casing 311 and has two pincers 312a and 312b connected to a grip 312c configured for gripping to the second member 320 part inserted through the opening recess 314. The pincers 312a and 312b and grip 312c have a certain degree of flexibility that allows it to slightly open when the key 315 is inserted through key holes 313a and 313b to unlock the clip member 312 and retract back to a closed position when the key 315 is removed from key holes 313a and 313b. In these embodiments, the key 315 is configure to be inserted from the side of the casing 311 and therefore the key 315 should be held at the same planar direction as the casing 311 and the clip member 312 unlike the direction of the key 215 insertion described in FIGS. 4A-4D, which is perpendicular to the plane of the clip member 212 and casing 211. The configuration described in FIGS. 5A-5D allows easier access to the key holes in some cases.

(26) As shown in the transparent view of FIG. 5B, once the key 315 is inside the key holes 313a and 313b its two protrusions dilate the gap between the pincers 312a and 312b allowing thereby to insert the second member 320 into the opening recess 314 and once the key 315 is removed from the key holes 313a and 313b the clip member pincers 312a and 312b retract to their non-dilated position and therefor the grip 312c also retract back and tightly grips the second member 220 therein.

(27) Any type of fastening can be used for the second and first members using any design, fastening mechanism and shape, wherein the fastening between the first member 210/310 and second member 220/320 is carried out by adapting the shape and size of the opening recess 214/314 thereof to the shape and size of at least part of the second member 220/320.

(28) According to some embodiments, the first element to or in which the first part of the fastener, in any embodiment thereof, is attached, embedded or placed comprises a tracking unit, configured to enable tracking that second element to which the fastener fastens or the person which carries it. The tracking unit may comprise a transmission unit configured for transmitting signals for locating the second element to which the first element ultimately fastens through the fastener, such as, for example, RFID device, GPS device or any other transmission device that allows wireless long and/or short distance locating.

(29) Many alterations and modifications may be made by those having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it must be understood that the illustrated embodiment has been set forth only for the purposes of example and that it should not be taken as limiting the invention as defined by the following invention and its various embodiments and/or by the following claims. For example, notwithstanding the fact that the elements of a claim are set forth below in a certain combination, it must be expressly understood that the invention includes other combinations of fewer, more or different elements, which are disclosed in above even when not initially claimed in such combinations. A teaching that two elements are combined in a claimed combination is further to be understood as also allowing for a claimed combination in which the two elements are not combined with each other, but may be used alone or combined in other combinations. The excision of any disclosed element of the invention is explicitly contemplated as within the scope of the invention.

(30) The words used in this specification to describe the invention and its various embodiments are to be understood not only in the sense of their commonly defined meanings, but to include by special definition in this specification structure, material or acts beyond the scope of the commonly defined meanings. Thus if an element can be understood in the context of this specification as including more than one meaning, then its use in a claim must be understood as being generic to all possible meanings supported by the specification and by the word itself.

(31) The definitions of the words or elements of the following claims are, therefore, defined in this specification to include not only the combination of elements which are literally set forth, but all equivalent structure, material or acts for performing substantially the same function in substantially the same way to obtain substantially the same result. In this sense it is therefore contemplated that an equivalent substitution of two or more elements may be made for any one of the elements in the claims below or that a single element may be substituted for two or more elements in a claim. Although elements may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, it is to be expressly understood that one or more elements from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination and that the claimed combination may be directed to a sub-combination or variation of a sub-combination.

(32) Insubstantial changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person with ordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, are expressly contemplated as being equivalently within the scope of the claims. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scope of the defined elements.

(33) The claims are thus to be understood to include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptually equivalent, what can be obviously substituted and also what essentially incorporates the essential idea of the invention.

(34) Although the invention has been described in detail, nevertheless changes and modifications, which do not depart from the teachings of the present invention, will be evident to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are deemed to come within the purview of the present invention and the appended claims.