Patent Application
20080276434
The invention relates to fasteners that attach to articles that pass through security screening devices at security checkpoints, and more particularly to fasteners that are less prone to triggering alarms in such security screening devices.
Fasteners of significant size, such as belt buckles, typically comprise metallic components such as steel, iron, zinc, and aluminium. Such metals are in use because of their ease in manufacturing from castings, machining and stampings. A metallic belt buckle must have relatively inexpensive manufacturing cost. Metallic belt buckles are durable and can withstand constant handling. Fashion, affordability, and ease of use are keys to a successful dress belt buckle in today's market.
However, a common problem with today's ordinary metal belt buckle is its propensity for triggering alarms in security screening devices with metal detectors that sense metallic objects of significant size. Airports, government buildings and office buildings with secure access commonly use such security screening devices. Thus, security screening subjects may comprise airline passengers, government employees, office workers and visitors. Security screening subjects often need to remove their metallic belt buckles in order to pass through security checkpoints as they arrive at their places of employment or places of embarkation for air travel.
Accordingly, it is desirable to have highly durable, fashionable, and reliable fasteners, such as belt buckles, that do not trigger alarms in security screening devices used at security checkpoints. It is also desirable to have such a fastener that is manufacturable at relatively low cost using common manufacturing techniques.
The invention comprises a fastener that comprises a non-metallic material for attachment to a belt that allows a security screening subject wearing such a fastener to pass through security screening devices with metal detectors at security checkpoints without triggering an alarm.
Generally, the invention comprises a fastener comprising: a non-metallic mouldable belt guide; a non-metallic mouldable belt retainer; and a non-metallic mouldable hinge pin that fastens the belt retainer to the belt guide.
The mouldable non-metallic material used in the hereinbefore described fasteners 2 and 12 may comprise a mouldable composite material or mouldable plastic material. The composite material preferably comprises a polyimide resin matrix with carbon fibre reinforcement. Such a carbon composite material is very durable and strong. Other embodiments of the invention that comprise other belt fastener configurations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The components of the fasteners 2 and 12, as well as other embodiments of the invention, may comprise single piece or multiple piece construction.
For strength, the hereinbefore described carbon composite material may comprise an aligned pattern of layered carbon fibre cloth or a random pattern of carbon fibres.
The described embodiment of the invention is only an illustrative implementation of the invention wherein changes and substitutions of the various parts and arrangement thereof are within the scope of the invention as set forth in the attached claims.
