Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6691377
-
Patent Number
6,691,377
-
Date Filed
Monday, October 7, 200222 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, February 17, 200420 years ago
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Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 024 170
- 024 168
- 024 191
- 024 193
- 024 197
- 024 307
- 351 43
- 351 156
- 002 452
- 002 426
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International Classifications
-
Abstract
A new buckle structure on the two sides of a diving mask, these buckles are used to connect to the strap; the structure includes a frame on each side of the mask frame, a setting hole on the frame, a holder fixed and a fixed cover of the setting hole, a button on fixed cover, the strap goes between holder and a roller, the stopper on the button allows the users to adjust the strap; the structures allows the users to lose the strap by pressing down the button, also the strap can rotate within a small angle due to the holder structures.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to buckle structure of swimming mask. More particularly, this invention relates to a push buckle for more efficient function and simple to assemble.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Diving masks generally have a buckle on each side of the frame in order to adjust the length of the strap that secures the mask to the diver's head. These buckles come in one of three types:
1. Simple buckles that require removing the mask (in order to re-weave the strap) for re-adjustment. The advantage is that the design is simple and low cost. The disadvantage is that strap adjustment is difficult and cumbersome.
2. Pull buckles that allow an automatic tightening of the strap by pulling on the strap (the buckle has a one-way feature), and a pulling motion in order to release (loosen) the strap. Many of these buckles have a swivel action that allows the strap to move into a position over the diver's ears that is comfortable and secure.
3. Push buckles that allow an automatic tightening of the strap by pulling on the strap (the buckle has a one-way feature), and a pushing motion in order to release (loosen) the strap.
The main purpose of a swivel mask buckle is to allow the strap to move at an angle such that the mask is securely positioned. Secondarily, another purpose of the swivel is to allow the strap to be positioned above the user's ear, which is more comfortable.
Simple buckles are relatively inexpensive to make, but lack the swivel and automatic tightening features. Pull buckles often have the swivel and automatic tightening features but are relatively difficult to use, especially if the user is a SCUBA diver wearing thick gloves. Push buckles usually have the automatic tightening feature and are relatively easy to use but lack the swivel feature.
The ideal buckle would have push button activation for release, automatic tightening (when the strap is pulled), and a swivel action, and be relatively easy to manufacture and assemble.
While scuba diving, the diver usually wears thicker gloves; therefore, it is harder to adjust the tightness and position of the mask that uses simple buckles or pull buckles.
Push buckles in these cases may be the best choice, also these buckles can do a certain angle of rotation, so the user with thick gloves can adjust the mask easily. On the other hand, these buckles are also easy to produce.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One object of the present invention is to provide a type of push buckle that contains a structure that can losen the strap by pushing the buckle, and also to make a small angle of rotation.
The second goal of providing this buckle is the produce lesser and simpler components, which are easier to assemble.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a exploded view of the present invention.
FIG. 2
is a isometric view of the present invention.
FIG. 3
is a opposite view of the button
FIG. 4
is a sectional view (
1
) of the present invention.
FIG. 5
is a sectional view (
2
) of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PERFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to
FIGS. 1 and 2
, the buckel structure of the present invention mainly include the frame
10
, a holder
20
, a fixed cover
30
, a roller
40
, and a button
50
.
The frame
10
presents the main structure of the two sides of the mask, which also includes the two sides of the frame where the mask glass goes and the soft mask goes. A flat board
11
is located on the frame
10
, also a protrudent rim
12
is located on the flat board
11
. A setting hole
13
is located at the middle of the protrudent rim
12
, and inserting holes
14
are located at the two sides of the flat board
11
.
A flat board
21
is located on the holder
20
, and a hole
22
is located on the flat board
21
. The holder
20
contains frames
23
on the two sides, and each frame
23
has a hole
24
on their side. At each tail of the two frames
23
, a fixed stick
25
is attached, and a space
26
is created between the flat board
21
and the fixed stick
25
.
A flat board
31
is located above the fixed cover
30
, and a cylinder rod
32
is located below the flat board
31
where this cylinder rod's size decrease towards inside. A ring
33
is surround by the cylinder rod
32
, and the two sides of the outer part
34
of the flat board
31
each has a tenon
35
below.
A roller
40
is located at the holes
24
of the holder
20
.
Referring to
FIGS. 1 and 3
, the button
50
looks like a clip. The structure includes a pressing board
51
, a fixed board
52
, a stopper
53
, an inserting opening
54
formed by the pressing board
51
and the fixed board
52
, and finally a groove
56
below the fixed board
52
. The stopper
53
has one side slanted.
Referring to
FIGS. 1
,
4
and
5
, when the present invention is assembled, the roller
40
is located on the hole
24
; the inserting opening
54
of the button
50
is clicked on the flat board
31
; the tap opening
55
looks like an opening round hole has two slopping edge extending outwardly and is located on the cylinder rod
32
, and the button
50
is located on fixed cover
30
. The hole
22
of the holder
20
is located outside the protrudent rim
12
, so that the cylinder rod
32
and ring
33
of the fixed cover
30
are allowed to go through the hole
22
and hole
13
. The ring
33
is clicked below the hole
13
, which at the same time, the tenon
35
is clocked into the inserting hole
14
, just like what is shown on the FIG.
2
. After these parts are assembled, the holder
20
can rotate within a small degree due to the protrudent rim
12
. The fixed cover
30
is assembled with the frame
10
. The fixed board
52
of the button
50
is clicked between the flat board
21
and the flat board
31
, also they are limited between the holder
20
and the two side frame
23
, where their motions are due to the holder
20
. The strap
60
is located in the space
26
created by the roller
40
and the stopper
53
.
Referring to
FIGS. 4 and 5
, the strap
60
is located between the roller
40
and the button
50
. The strap
60
is made by soft and flexible material, where some teeth
61
are build on the strap
60
. (Previous technology) One side of the teeth
61
is slanted; therefore, while pulling the strap
60
, the teeth
61
are very easy to go through the area in front of the stopper
53
. When the pulling force disappears, the strap
60
can turn back in the opposite direction, and the teeth
61
can easily stock sightly on the stopper
53
.
If the user wants to losen the strap
60
described above, he/she just have to put force on the pressing board towards the direction of the arrow on FIG.
5
. Since the fixed board
52
is clicked, button
50
would change its shape a little at the location of the groove
56
, so the stopper
53
has its motion upward. At the same time, the soft flexible tooth
61
can go through the area in front of the stopper
53
, so the strap
60
can be losen.
Due to the above descriptions, the present invention provided a very useful buckle structure, not only it can allow the strap
60
to rotate within a certain degree, it also can losen the strap
60
by pressing a board. Moreover, the present invention has components very easy to produce and assemble; therefore, the present invention can become a very useful buckle structure.
Claims
- 1. A buckle structure for a swimming mask comprising:a) a frame having: i) a flat frame surface; ii) a setting hole with a protruding rim formed in the flat frame surface; and iii) two inserting holes located on opposite sides of the frame; b) a holder having: i) a flat holder surface including a through hole, the protruding rim of the frame being inserted into the through hole; ii) two frames, each of the two frames connected at a first end thereof to a lateral side of the flat surface; and iii) a fixed bar connected at each of two opposing ends thereof to a second end of one of the two frames, the fixed bar being spaced apart from the flat holder surface; c) a fixed cover having: i) a flat cover surface including a cylindrical rod inserted through the setting hole in the frame; and ii) two tenons located on opposite sides of the fixed cover, each of the two tenons being inserted into one of the two inserting holes of the frame; d) a roller rotatably connected at opposing ends thereof to the two frames of the holder and located between the flat surface and the fixed bar of the holder; and e) a button having: i) a fixed board connected to the cylindrical rod of the fixed cover; ii) a pressing board; and iii) a stopper connected to the pressing board, the pressing board and the stopper being movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, such that in the engaged position the stopper is engaged with a tooth of a strap of the swimming mask thereby locking the strap in a fixed position between the roller and the stopper and in the disengaged position pressing board disengages the stopper from the tooth of the strap allowing the strap to move freely around the roller.
- 2. The buckle structure according to claim 1, further comprising a flexible groove located on a bottom of the button.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
91209334 U |
Jun 2002 |
TW |
|
US Referenced Citations (5)